“Miracle Baby,” Phoenix Da’Vine celebrates first birthday

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All before her first birthday, infant Phoenix Da’Vine, experienced heart surgery, a heart attack and severe brain damage. Doctors thought being taken off of life support was her ending, but it’s just her beginning.

In April, Phoenix’s mom, Monique Goldring, took her off life support at only 8-months-old, but Goldring’s “miracle baby” survived, and is set to celebrate her first birthday on August 25, according to CNN.

“I still have my baby with me,” Goldring said. “I didn’t think I would be able to see that milestone.”

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At just two months old Phoenix was gearing up for her first surgery. She was born with a heart defect called double outlet right ventricle, this means her heart couldn’t properly circulate oxygen around her body. Doctors had to perform two of four palliative surgeries she needs and put a shunt in her heart.

Five months later, the then 7-month-old began bleeding rapidly from her nose. Goldring rushed Phoenix to the emergency room but en route Phoenix lost oxygen and began to turn blue.

“I knew that she was gone,” Goldring said when thinking of that day.

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Phoenix was going into cardiac arrest, this left her with a lot of brain damage causing her to stay at the hospital on life support for almost a month. Goldring said Phoenix appeared tired and decided to take her off of life support. She waited with her daughter for over 6 hours anticipating her last breath, but Phoenix kept fighting CNN reported.

She watched and waited for six hours after Phoenix was taken off life support, the time doctors said they expected it would take for her to die. But six hours came and went, and the infant was still fighting, she said.

“From that point on, she just continued to thrive,” Goldring said.

Although Phoenix is alive, she still requires a lot of medical attention. When she was released in May it was on hospice status because doctors believed she may not survive much longer.

Doctor’s told her mother she’ll likely die if they performed the remaining two surgeries to reroute blood flow. Phoenix will also soon outgrow the shunt in her heart, which will be fatal, Goldring said.

Phoenix’s lifespan is uncertain but her mother plans to still celebrate her first birthday.

“Falling apart about it is not going to change the circumstances,” she said. “She’s clearly not falling apart about it, so I get my strength from her daily.”

Her family has also created GoFundMe page for people to donate to the family to help cover her medical expenses.