Close call

Dee Dee and Hallie · September 01, 2011, 01:55:36 AM

We had a very scary afternoon, my brother and Hallie and I were at our shippers house, filling orders for our company since the shipper is on vacation. We were upstairs in the office, I had it blocked off so Hallie could be loose in there with us safely. When we were done, I put her harness on, turned to pick up a box, and I heard "thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump", and realized it was the sound of Hallie tumbling down the long flight of stairs! I died a thousand deaths and didnt' want to see what I might see at the end of the stairs, but I raced down and she was standing and moving. Miraculously, she seems unscathed! I don't know how, God must have had his hands around her, because it was a long flight of stairs and the thumping was very fast so she had to really be tumbling. My brother heard it too but there is a half wall up there so we couldn't see over, and it happened so fast I still don't know how she got from next to me to the top of the stairs that quickly. She has always respected stairs but of course, now that she can't see, had to have walked right off the edge. I am SO mad at myself, it's my job to keep her safe especially now. She has seemed fine since, ate her dinner good at my step moms, rolled in the grass, etc. I haven't let her do too much as I don't know for sure if she is hurt at all, but I couldn't be more grateful she seems to be. Scared about 10 years off my life, that will NEVER happen again! I"m keeping her close to home and resting for a while.

Kathleen · September 01, 2011, 06:12:20 AM

Aww, poor Hallie. Don't be surprised if she's a little sore or starts limping a bit-she's probably a little bruised up.

Marcia from MI · September 01, 2011, 06:23:35 AM

Eddie fell down the basement stairs a few weeks after he came to live with me. I stood in horror as he tumbled down to the tiled floor below, but he got up immediately and came back up. I think they know how to fall because he just seemed so relaxed on the way down, maybe it's having a cat around, who does the best job at relaxing I've seen.

Danni here,

Halie, stay put on your couch, pile of blankies and let your mama wait on you, that's the best thing to do.

Roberta · September 01, 2011, 06:35:24 AM

It must have been the same time to-night her hairy alter ego on the others side of the world went from sleep to warp drive and flew off the sofa next to me.....................they were all ears waiting for Nick.
They sometimes amaze you with the speed they do things, and do things you don't think they would do.
Missie H have acalm day and let your poor wee mumzie come down to earth.
Roberta

DeeanDave · September 01, 2011, 06:53:00 AM

Whoa....that would take many years off your life and with me, would have added 2 million gray hairs in an instant! Glad all is okay and you both deserve to take it easy for a few days!

Delia and girls · September 01, 2011, 07:41:55 AM

Yes, so glad she's OK. Things happen, DD. I hope you're not beating yourself up about this. The important thing is that she's OK and it won't happen again. There's another silver lining here ... she felt confident enough to trot around in a strange place. That's proof that you're doing good with her. It could have ended up very different but it didn't. Hold on to that and run with it!

BonniesMom · September 01, 2011, 07:43:16 AM

Sounds like Hallie's pretty laid back and a non worrier. She probably tumbled so fast that she didn't have time to stiffen up on the way down. Must be the C-A-T gene in her. She'll probably be a bit sore for awhile but she certainly is one tuff cookie. Me? I would have had nightmares afterwards for weeks!

Barb · September 01, 2011, 07:59:16 AM

Yikes !!! I know it scared you both so much !!! Maybe just keep her leashed to you

Sure glad she is ok..... probably sore...so mom and Hallie resting is a good thing !

David C. · September 01, 2011, 12:03:37 PM

Don't be so hard on yourself. These things happen. When Hallie tumbled, she probably just "went with it" and waited for things to stop going topsy turvy...unlike humans, who usually try to tense up to stop a fall and end up get injured that way.

One time Margie accidentally booted Max-angel right by our staircase. Max went over the stair. Each time it looked like he would catch himself, his momentum took him down one more stair until he finally ended up on the landing. It was like watching a crash in slow motion. Poor Margie felt terrible about it. Max was none the worse for the wear.

Rudy-angel takes the cake for stair mishaps. A bunny in our backyard sent him charging headlong down the stairs, except he didn't negotiate them well. Rudy went end-over-end twice before landing on all fours on the grass with the look "Hey, I meant to do that". Rudy also once took a "left turn" straight off a stairway...halfway up the stairs.

Dee Dee and Hallie · September 01, 2011, 01:06:31 PM

Kathleen, you're right, I think she is a bit sore and stiff this morning, she is slow and sleeping a lot but I am relieved she seems as good as she does, no limping that I've seen and thankfully no yipping. We have had a very busy week with family reunion and family things etc so she would be sleepy today anyway I'm sure. We are staying home today and she can rest!

Poor Eddie, what is it with these black and tan longhairs! I remember Stormy falling down stairs too when he was groggy from a dental I believe it was. And wee Amy flying off the couch! Yikes. They must be tough because they all came out ok. Hallie says to tell Danni she is going to lay outside in the shade on her chaise lounge today with a fan and some puppy ice cream while her Mom stuffs bags for work!

Yeah Dee me too! I was sure I'd look in the mirror and see a shock of pure white hair. And big eyeballs that can no longer blink.

Delia you always have the best advice. And you know me well lol. You are right it will never happen again because we are never going into a house with a flight of stairs again! EVER ever ever. Ever! I was so overly cautious (and always take flack about it) and yet it still happened. Gads.

Sandi I was awake much of the night with my hand on her and just thanking God for keeping her safe when I didn't. She was probably hoping I'd go to sleep and stop staring at her! She really does amaze me how trusting she is no matter what, she was calm when I got to her at the bottom of the stairs and she kept walking around with no fear of falling again. Wish I were that resilient! Poor baby had a rough day, earlier we had an appointment at an oncologist that had given a talk we went to, on preventing cancer in your dog, to get a tailor made plan for Hallie (food, vaccinations, controlling her allergies, etc) and she shook for the first 10 minutes (she stopped when I fed her a steady stream of bits of cookie for several minutes), then she went and fell down the stairs! But she did get to explore a new house and had dinner with her hooman cousins and uncle and grandma.

Barb usually she does fine walking around a strange house because she goes slow and is very careful and seems to enjoy the snooping. So normally don't need a leash but also normally don't have stairs to think about! I couldn't have leashed her to me in this case because we were having to step over the barricade I'd set up in the room, to go to other rooms to get items to fill orders to ship. But I had considered tying her to a desk leg or something. But she was so happy just to lay there on the floor and snooze and normally it's not a problem so I decided to leave her loose as I try to keep her life as normal as possible. In retrospect of course!!! I am kicking myself big time. It wasn't until the last minute when I moved the barricade and were ready to go and I turned to pick up that dumb box. We will just not be going where there are stairs like that except for my SIL at the beach where we go, there are stairs and I have always kept a hold of her there and will continue to do that. This blindness thing SO sucks.

I'm sure you are right David, she probably didn't have time to think. You had some bouncing boys too! Ack. I can imagine how poor Margie felt about Max.

Leslie · September 01, 2011, 01:36:42 PM

Quote from: David C. on September 01, 2011, 12:03:37 PM
Don't be so hard on yourself. These things happen. When Hallie tumbled, she probably just "went with it" and waited for things to stop going topsy turvy...unlike humans, who usually try to tense up to stop a fall and end up get injured that way.

One time Margie accidentally booted Max-angel right by our staircase. Max went over the stair. Each time it looked like he would catch himself, his momentum took him down one more stair until he finally ended up on the landing. It was like watching a crash in slow motion. Poor Margie felt terrible about it. Max was none the worse for the wear.

Rudy-angel takes the cake for stair mishaps. A bunny in our backyard sent him charging headlong down the stairs, except he didn't negotiate them well. Rudy went end-over-end twice before landing on all fours on the grass with the look "Hey, I meant to do that". Rudy also once took a "left turn" straight off a stairway...halfway up the stairs.

David's right, you're a good mom and s**t happens. I shut a bottom drawer shut and never noticed that Zuzu had her head in the drawer until I heard the "thunk" of her skull. Yoiks.

Deb G. · September 01, 2011, 01:46:47 PM

What a relief that she doesn't appear to be hurt! Yes, Stormy did take a tumble down the stairs when returning from a dental. He was groggy, and didn't resist gravity at all. There are no words to describe how helpless you feel when this sort of thing happens. Stormy came out of it just fine--we're hoping that Miss Hallie does too. We recently returned from a vacation to SE Utah, (Sophie & Sam went on vacation too) and Sophie did have problems negotiating strange curbs, entrances, etc. It has slowed her up a lot. And yes, I agree, it sucks. But there are moments like when we were out walking at our stopover in Fort Morgan, CO, where, out on a wide sidewalk that went on for blocks, one little red dog thought that she was King of the Road. (And yes, I mean King--she works hard at being the dominant dog, even lifting her leg occasionally, but Sam just ignores her efforts). A brisk pace, fast enough to make her ears fly, and she loved it. I just tried to keep up and keep her ON the sidewalk. Sometimes, you get a perfect moment for the both of you.

We send accident-prevention and healing rays to Hallie.

Rich, Deb, Sophie & Sam
I will be on my guard, as I take Sam for a dental Tuesday...

Roberta · September 01, 2011, 03:35:14 PM

also its if you don't know whats coming you don't tense up so you bounce.
Roberta

papbouv · September 01, 2011, 10:08:32 PM

Glad to hear Miss Hallie is doing well after her fall please do not beat your self up Miss Hallie knows you are a great Mom to her she would feel bad if she knew you were beating your self up. Things happen it was an accident no one can foresee an accident that is why they are called accidents every one has them on occasion.Sending Hugs & Rays for a speedy recovery for you both.Patches,Buddy & papbouv

Cheryl · September 02, 2011, 01:42:25 PM

Oh my goodness Dee Dee...I can just imagine the scare you had!...I probably would've passed out...I hope Hallie is doing good today and you too!

Dee Dee and Hallie · September 02, 2011, 04:23:33 PM

She still seems fine! I can't believe it. I just did a photo shoot at my cousins farm and afterwards I took her for a walk so she could smell all the farm animal smells, and she was trotting and snooping into things and rolling in all kinds of animal doo etc with no problem. PHEW!!! The stair incident will never be repeated that's for sure!

Ow Les I can imagine when you heard the clunk of Zuzu's head! It's amazing sometimes that they still love us!

I remember feeling so bad for you guys Deb when Stormy went down the stairs and I was so happy and surprised that he was OK after that. These guys are proving themselves pretty tough! I love the visual of Sophie trotting along the sidewalk. That must feel so good to them to be able to do that. If only we could give them their puppy bodies back. :( Hallie has learned if I tell her run run run, it means she won't hit anything and she will run. Not like she used to but she goes at a good speed, she will just brake every 10 feet or so to be sure she's on course. But when we went to the beach last week, she ran like she used to, she knew there she wouldn't hit anything and it was so good to see a big smile on her face. A bit far of a drive though for you guys to take Sophie to a beach!

That is really cool you 4 all got to go to Utah, I'll bet it was fun for everyone. Funny how little Sophie likes to be dominant, I had the feeling she ruled the roost between the 3 pups when I first got them, she was very sweet but once I walked into the room where Hallie was in a crate and Sophie was outside of the crate (I had separated them while they ate although I had no real reason to) and Hallie was sitting in her crate looking forlorn with Sophie right outside of the crate, growling very low at Hallie over her food bowl that was against the side of the crate but in the crate with her. Even in the crate Hallie did not go to the food bowl. LOL. I wish I could have gotten a photo of that.

I'll bet that was it Roberta she definitely didn't see that one coming. I wasn't very relaxed running down the stairs after she fell! I am just very glad I didn't witness the actual event.

Thanks Papbouv, it certainly was a good lesson that you can never be too careful, I thought I was overboard careful but obviously not. That won't happen again that's for sure.

Thanks Cheryl Hallie is doing great today I am floored she doesn't even seem sore. But VERY grateful! She did her normal things today and was very happy to be out with the farm animal smells and going for a walk.