Welcome to Emma's Diary. This website is dedicated to providing information about Meningitis. It has been designed and written by someone who has been directly affected by the disease and who would very much like to share their experience with others.

There are many websites that provide information and advice regarding this devastating disease, but there are not many websites that have been written by someone who has experienced the devastating effects of it first-hand and can maybe offer a different point of view to the professional one.

It is my hope that the information contained in this website will be both useful and comforting to others who may have been through similar experiences as well as a place where people who have been affected by Meningitis can share thoughts and stories and not feel so alone.

One of the most frustrating things that I find is talking with others who offer a sympathetic ear but do not really understand exactly what you are going through or experiencing. It is even more frustrating when you are made to feel guilty about feeling angry, sad, depressed or hateful. I have been through every emotion possible and am even now, three and a half years after the disease affected my family, still riding the 'roller-coaster ride of emotions'. The last thing you need is to feel bad for feeling the way you do. I am hoping that here you can find a place where you can let off steam and say exactly how bad or good you feel without being judged or condemned.

WHAT YOU CAN FIND AT EMMA'S DIARY:

You can read Emma's story and find out how she survived a very severe case of Meningitis and follow her as she continues to recover from the disease and rehabilitate. You will also be able to find general information about all strains of Meningitis, including signs, symptoms and after-effects. There is a section providing useful links to other websites that may be of interest, and finally, there is a forum where you can meet and chat to others who may have been or are going through a similar experience. The forum is intended to be a place where you can gain and share information as well as off-load onto others in a friendly, caring and supportive environment. It is also a place where, hopefully, people can find hope, strength and comfort from reading other's experiences.

We want people who access and use this site to feel safe, secure, supported and part of a Community. We ask people to register for the forum (free of charge) so that all members of the Community can have a sense of 'belonging'. By registering you can rest assured that your privacy is of the upmost importance to us and we value each and every one of our members for the individuals that they are. We approve all new memberships manually to monitor who uses the Message Boards. However, this is usually done very quickly and you do not usually have to wait long to start using the forum. We do not judge or condemn anyone for the way that they feel and want everyone to feel comfortable enough to share their experiences, no matter how traumatic and/or disturbing, in a caring, respectful and friendly environment.

CONTACTING US:

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, problems or queries regarding this site or if you have any general feedback or suggestions you would like to share with us. Our aim is to keep people informed and up-to-date on all developments concerning Meningitis, so if you feel that there is anything missing please let us know.