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Unexpected interludes as a President ’ s wife! Elizabeth Joyce

I was delighted at many levels when Adrian was elected President of BAUS from 2010 – 2012. I anticipated great travel opportunities, rekindling friendships around the world, lavish occasions to attend and a new wardrobe!

As a consequence, the invitation to the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) meeting in Christchurch was met with great relish! An opportunity to catch up with antipodean family members, followed by exploring the beauty of South Island sampling all New Zealand has to offer, the meeting was to be the fi nal highlight.

My bag was packed with fi nery to suit every occasion. A plethora of shoes, according to my husband! We settled into the Crown Plaza Hotel in the Central Business District of Christchurch, just opposite the Conference Centre to enjoy the Australasian experience – always friendly, fun and worthwhile. Thoughts of the planned helicopter and jet boat rides at Flock Hill were enough to take me beyond my comfort zone, little did I know! ( Photograph 1 )

At 12:40 PM on 22 February 2011, I naively stepped into the lift going down to meet friends in the hotel lobby. Adrian had just changed and made his way to the conference area to deliver his presentation to media check. Minutes later my friends and I were sitting in the foyer planning a gentle cultural walk to the city ’ s Art Gallery. Suddenly, an unnerving and unfriendly rumble was engulfi ng us. The entire building was shaking and the massive glass front of the hotel was leaning menacingly towards us! It was impossible to steady oneself. Adrenaline kicked in. Should I head for the glass door or should I try and fi nd cover? If so, where and how? The minimalist style of the lobby left few options to consider. Only so many people can shelter under a coffee table and I quickly could see that I was one

too many! The glass atrium crashed down and the wrong decision could have undoubtedly cost my life!

We were catapulted into an epic movie scenario, although instead of watching we were the cast! It was a surreal experience that I play over in my mind from time to time – always in slow motion.

After the fi rst terrifying shockwave, bewildered wide-eyed, dusty people poured out of broken buildings onto the cracked streets that were leaking ominous thick black liquid from beneath. This turned out to be volcanic liquefaction and was scary in itself! One of my companions sustained a nasty gash on her head from falling debris and was bleeding profusely. The fi rst priority was to make her safe and I assisted her out of the building. There was nowhere to pause safely to assess the injury satisfactorily and only my scarf and hands to stem the bleeding. A kind motorist mounted the pavement and whisked her away to hospital – what services would now be available there was worryingly unclear.

The physically uninjured were guided steadily to the open space of Hagley Park, where it took me several uncertain hours to be reunited with my husband. There was a Chinese whisper approach to establishing delegates ’ whereabouts. ‘ Have you seen so and so? No, but so and so says they have. ’ Most were accounted for but not Adrian and a couple of others. The ground felt palpably unstable. Occasional stronger tremors made people freeze, clutch each other or crouch down. I had no choice but to follow the crowd and face any consequences of this natural disaster as they arose.

There were oddities that I can recall. Amongst the devastation, with collapsed buildings and huge caverns in the roads, you would see a man jogging or someone

cycling. People just trying to act normally! Then a man crushed to death in a car outside a shop. There were signs of life and signs of death all around.

The urology delegates assembled in the evacuation area, seeking solace from each other. The group was our anchor. The atmosphere developed into to a mixture of shock, camaraderie and stoicism. A few people started to keel over with delayed shock reactions provoked by relief, cold and hunger. The crowd was responsive to the needs of individuals. Surgical trainees mixed with the consultants and professors. Families and friends supported each other. There was good banter with any barrier of hierarchy quickly broken down. Jokes were made. There were natural leaders in our midst and David Malouf and his colleagues did us proud. Mobile phones and passports were lost in the upheaval, and with no prospect of retrieving personal belongings, we all dug deep to cope with the isolation.

Foraging skills became paramount in the fi rst few hours. A certain other president ’ s wife was extremely skilled and creative at this! Rolls of plastic and sheets of wood were made available to construct makeshift shelters. We were all wearing what we stood up in at the time, Adrian in his suit sat next to a lady in pyjamas. Bin liners were sported with panache in some cases ( Photograph 2 ). Michael Nugara, dressed only in short shirt sleeves, was appreciative of (and visible in) my borrowed blue anorak, despite its fi gure hugging fi t!

The fi rst night was endless and sleepless due to frequent threatening aftershocks. These were regular reminders of the terror of several hours earlier. We were on the alert to run at a moment ’ s notice. I could not let Adrian out of my sight!

Within hours, the Evacuation Centre in Hagley Park became the focal point for

Accepted for publication 19 January 2011

J O Y C E

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displaced locals and tourists. Charitable food fl owed freely, dispensed by a horde of cheerful and calm Red Cross workers, the army and volunteers. As well as bacon butties, I was touched by a very elegant French lady discretely passing around a tray of her own made delicious chocolates; quite an oasis of sophistication and very representative of the fundamental local desire to nurture the displaced. The army skilfully motivated and organised us as we

Photograph 1. Lizzy Joyce outside here comfort zone!

Photograph 2. Leaders in our midst.

were ‘ processed ’ effi ciently without passports or belongings off the island to Wellington as the day went on. Much patience and fortitude was required by rescuers and evacuees. Once airlifted, the relief was palpable and a tear was shed once on the plane!

The next challenge was to buy a couple of stylish emergency outfi ts before the shops shut in Wellington, with 20 min at my

disposal. No problem for someone of my shopping skills! I rose to the challenge and was not alone!

I notice the next UZANZ meeting is in Darwin with its own risk of hurricanes and crocodiles – I have got my wardrobe back now so lights, camera, action!

Lizzy Joyce , 28.10.2011