Barack Obama has encountered numerous challenging moments throughout his tenure as the former US President, but nothing could have prepared him for the emotional turmoil that ensued upon discovering his daughter Sasha’s severe medical diagnosis shortly after her birth.
The former President and his wife, Michelle, are now proud parents of two grown, content, and healthy children, Malia (25) and Sasha (22). However, when Sasha was diagnosed with meningitis at just three months old, Barack and Michelle’s world was turned upside down.
“People ask me what was the hardest time in my life — they ask about the debt ceiling debate and various other challenges,” Barack revealed while on the 2012 campaign trail. “Sasha got meningitis when she was three months old. I still remember going to the hospital together and witnessing her undergo a spinal tap.”
In a heartfelt interview with Rev. Al Sharpton, Michelle Obama also shared that this agonizing period is etched in her memory forever.
“I will never forget. It was a day when, you know, one hour she was fine, she was normal, she was happy, doing everything I was used to her doing, and the next hour she was crying inconsolably. That just wasn’t like her. And I did everything.”
Michelle continued, “I tried to feed her, tried to rock her, tried to burp her. Finally, I just thought, I need to call my pediatrician.”
Upon hearing Sasha’s symptoms, the medical personnel instructed them to rush to the emergency department immediately.
“As it turned out, she had meningitis. And they had to perform a spinal tap,” Michelle recalled, noting the critical importance of timely medical intervention.
“She turned out – obviously, as this story ends, she is fine, she’s healthy, she’s a beautiful young lady. But if we hadn’t had insurance, and access to a pediatrician, and a hospital where we didn’t have to worry about the cost of care... If we had waited overnight, if we had postponed acting, there’s no telling what the outcome would’ve been.”
This heart-wrenching experience highlights the crucial role of access to healthcare and insurance in ensuring the well-being of children.