Kirsten of Christchurch

Blogger Kirsten of Christchurch, New Zealand, just got home after major surgery, ready to rest up and begin a great recovery.

Major Surgery?  Meet Major Earthquake.

AP Press reports:

Buildings collapse, 2 injured in powerful NZ quake
By ROB GRIFFITH, Associated Press Writer

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – Chimneys and walls crumbled to the ground, roads cracked in half and residents were knocked off their feet as a powerful magnitude-7.1 earthquake rocked New Zealand's South Island early Saturday. The prime minister said it was a miracle no one was killed.

Only two serious injuries were reported from the quake, which shook thousands of people awake when it struck at 4:35 a.m. near the southern city of Christchurch. There were reports of some people trapped inside damaged buildings — though none appeared to be crushed by rubble — and a few looters broke into some damaged shops in the city of 400,000.

Power was cut across the region, roads were blocked by debris, and gas and water supplies were disrupted, Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said. Chimneys and walls of older buildings were reduced to rubble, and Parker warned that continuing aftershocks could cause masonry to fall from damaged buildings... [continued here]

Kirsten's blog, Urinary Diversions, formerly Neo-Conduit, is an interesting mix of information, both personal and abstracted, about surgical urinary diversions, as well as her frustrating experiences with the medical system in New Zealand. She is an activist on behalf of patient rights, women's rights, and has a love affair, too, with fuzzy, furry domesticated animals.

So, yes, she just got home after a big surgery, after which she had some complications and was in clear need of rest and relaxation. At least she had a few quiet days before Mother Nature made the earth tremble.

She went for a walk with her daughter, in search of bottled water, and posted some photos of the damage in her neighborhood. Go take a look!