(CNN) In April, Monique Goldring decided to take her 8-month-old daughter off life support and prepared to say goodbye to her first child.

But the Maryland mother's "miracle baby" survived, and her family is set to celebrate her first birthday August 25.

"I still have my baby with me," she said. "I didn't think I would be able to see that milestone."

Phoenix was born with a heart defect called double outlet right ventricle, which means her heart can't properly circulate oxygen around her body. To save her life, doctors performed two of four palliative surgeries she needs and put a shunt in her heart when she was 2 months old.

After being taken off life support, Phoenix breathes with the help of a nasal cannula that provides supplemental oxygen.

At 7 months old, Phoenix started bleeding profusely from her nose. During the drive to the emergency room she turned blue and stopped breathing.

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