Woman suffers life-changing injury as she trips over dog and falls down stairs
A pet owner says she's been left with life-changing injuries after tripping over her dog and falling down the stairs.
Scot Abby Hay took a tumble when her chihuahua Rue darted in front of her on the staircase at her home in Edinburgh. The fall left the 28-year-old in agony and struggling to walk. Abby's "embarrassing" fall resulted in three broken bones and torn ligaments, and she needed to get her ankle fused. Doctors have now told her she can no longer wear heels and will likely suffer arthritis within a few years.
She told how she's managed to see the funny side since Rue accidentally sent her flying, although spoke of her "frustration" at losing the full use of her ankle while still in her 20s. Abby said: "When people ask me about my injury, I don't want to tell them because it's embarrassing, but it can't be helped now.
"Sometimes it's funny and sometimes it's sad that so much damage was done by falling down the stairs. Rue is very lucky she's very cute. At first, I didn't even want to look at her and then I realised it wasn't her fault.
Abby fell down a full flight of stairs after tripping over dog Rue (Abby Hay / SWNS)"I couldn't believe such a small animal had done that much damage. I still can't believe that it happened. I'm only 28 so it's very frustrating that I'm this young and have lost the use of my ankle, so I was quite upset as you can imagine when they said [fusing my ankle] is the only option.
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"They said within the next four years arthritis will start. I'll have arthritis in my ankle just because I tried to save my dog by not falling on her on the stairs."
Abby had been venturing up the stairs in flipflops when the accident happened on June 27, 2020, as beloved pooch Rue playfully ran down and under her feet. Abby tried to step over but lost her footing and fell down 18 steps from the top to the bottom, hitting the floor.
Abby said it was lucky Rue was 'so cute' (Abby Hay / SWNS)
The injuries left her immobile for months (Abby Hay / SWNS)However, when she tried to stand up, she says her foot 'crumbled' underneath her and she was left screaming in pain. Fortunately, her aunt was on hand to help and call an ambulance after seeing her foot was 'hanging to one side'. Doctors at the hospital told Abby she had ripped muscles and torn ligaments, as well as dislocating her foot breaking three separate bones. She underwent surgery to fix the injury, with doctors inserting four screws.
Poor Abby then spent two weeks in hospital and was in a cast for 12 weeks after the fall. She also had to use a special walking boot for a further four months. Now, her injuries have still not fully healed, and Abby has been told by doctors that her ankle will need to be fused in place - leaving her unable to walk comfortably or wear high heels. She added: "My ankle is knackered for life - it's still affecting me now and I have to get it fused with completely no movement.
X-ray showing the pins in Abby's ankle after the fall (Abby Hay / SWNS)"I just tried to step over her and went from the top of stairs right down, it was about 18 stairs in the flight. Lucky the bone didn't poke through my skin, but I was at the bottom of stairs for ages waiting for an ambulance.
"When I told everyone at the hospital had happened they couldn't believe such a small dog had caused such a massive injury. Doctors said they'd seen people who play football or rugby with similar injuries but hadn't seen anything like it with dog that small before. My walking is not great now, I have constant swelling the doctors basically said it won't go away and I can't wear high heels anymore."
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