A Birthday Miracle For Ryan Baby Boy Lives Through Painful First Year And Defies Doctors

For his first birthday today, Ryan Nguyen will get a Winnie-the-Pooh-and-Tigger-too cake. But he can’t eat it.

He won’t get to dive in and smear frosting in his hair. He won’t tear open his presents. He can’t.

“In our perspective, he’s doing real good,” said his mother. “The doctors say he’s behind. But he’s alive.”

That’s the miracle, say Ryan’s parents, Darla and Nghia Nguyen.

Born last year at Sacred Heart Medical Center, doctors predicted the baby would die.

His kidneys didn’t work and he had an intestinal obstruction that required surgery.

In the midst of a court battle to keep him alive, Ryan was moved to a children’s hospital in Portland, where he spent three months. His parents moved to nearby Vancouver, Wash.

The baby’s medical bills - already more than $500,000 - are covered by Medicaid. The family claims in a lawsuit that Sacred Heart and several doctors botched Ryan’s birth.

Ryan’s parents are marvelling over accomplishments that most parents of 1-year-olds take for granted.

Ryan can roll over from his back to his stomach. But he can’t stay prone for long, because he crushes his feeding tube.

When he sits in his swing, Ryan can lean forward and hold up his head, Darla Nguyen said.

He can swallow a tablespoon or two of cereal, but cake is out of the question.

There is good news. His weight is normal, 19 pounds. And he babbles constantly.

His first words probably won’t come for months. It may be years before his takes his first steps.

“He’s got six teeth,” Darla Nguyen brags. “Four on top, two on the bottom.”

As parents, the Nguyens rarely focus on Ryan’s shortcomings. Instead, they take his progress as it comes - slowly.

Maybe by Christmas Ryan will be eating some solids. If his intestines can handle the food, then the family can look at working on his physical development.

“Eating is the big thing. He has to be able to do that before we work on anything else,” his mother said.

Until then, most of his nourishment - as well as his numerous medications - come through an intravenous feeding line.

For his birthday, his parents bought him Sesame Street musical rattles, featuring Big Bird and Cookie Monster.

“He loves to use his feet to play with his toys,” his mother said.

Ryan’s grandparents are planning to come for a party Saturday, along with several aunts and uncles. And most likely there will be a number of anonymous gifts.

“We probably wouldn’t have made it without all the support from everybody who sent us cards and letters and presents,” Darla Nguyen said. “It shows us that there are actually people who care about a baby they only know through the news.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo