When Barack Obama Opened Up About Sasha’s Difficult Childhood Health Diagnosis: "If We Had Waited.."

Back in 2012, when Barack Obama was busy with the election campaigns, there was another silent battle that he had undergone years ago. Opening up about it, the former President shared, "People ask me what was the hardest time in my life — they ask, well what about during the debt ceiling debate and this and that and the other thing."

According to Politico, the former President shared, "Sasha got meningitis when she was 3 months old. I still remember going to the hospital together and they had to give her a spinal tap." Explaining the illness he shared, "Your world narrows to this very small point. There's one thing you care about and you don't care about anything else."

The father of two daughters revealed, "The doctors did a terrific job, but, frankly, it was the nurses that were there with us when she had to get a spinal tap and all sorts of things that were just bringing me to tears."

Recalling how deeply it impacted her, Michelle Obama, wife of the politician spoke to Rev. Al Sharpton and shared, "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, and that just wasn’t like her. And I did everything," as reported by NBC News. 

"I tried to do – tried to feed her, tried to rock her, tried to burp her. Finally, I just thought, I need to call my pediatrician," the former FLOTUS added. Continuing how Sasha is now in the pink of her health, Michelle, said, "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 access to a hospital where we didn't have to worry about the cost of care."

Adding on about the personal bond with the pediatrician, she said, "We had health insurance, which meant I had a really good relationship with our pediatrician. So he knew me, and he knew I wasn’t the kind of mother to call up just because my baby was crying." 

"And that’s why for me as a mother, I am just – you know, I just can’t put into words how important it is for every American, for every mother, for every person in this country to have health care, because you just never know what kind of curveballs life is going to throw you," Michelle continued.

Taking other reasons in context, the lawyer and proud mum of two daughters, Malia and Sasha, disclosed, "If we had waited overnight if we had postponed acting, there's no telling what the outcome would've been." Sasha lives with her elder sister Malia in Los Angeles, as they moved out to pursue their careers. Being parents to daughters, Obama also shared, "Having kids will teach you a bunch of stuff and gives you a great deal of respect for moms."