Andrea Hunter Studio

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Portfolio

The Second Version of My Migraine Diary

migraine· notebooks

16 May
The second version of my migraine diary. A top-down view of a moleskine dot-grid notebook with a one week spread tracking weather, sleep, temperature, barometric pressure, water intake, migraine severity and meds taken. Around the notebook is a fabric pencil case, a water glass on a white macramé coaster, a wooden box of alpha-numeric stamps, a houseplant, a gel pen and two highlighters. The backdrop is a wooden desk surface.

In my last Migraine Diary post, I mentioned that I kept that setup for six months, and it served me well as a starting point. After those first six months I took a break from it. Although the world was in various stages of lockdown, our family and household became really busy, with lots of transition happening, and well … sometimes something’s gotta give.

Fast forward to November of that year, 2020. I picked up the migraine diary again, and thought about some ways I could improve my system.

Goals for the SEcond version

  1. To see how changes in weather, temperature and barometric pressure contributed to my migraine.
  2. To have a better way, visually, of tracking my sleep.
  3. Most importantly, to track how well my current meds were working.

I thought that documenting a full week at a time, vertically, would be more helpful, so I would see more of a pattern rather than day by day snapshots. And I started keeping migraine-related notes in my daily planner, transferring them to the migraine diary at night, as part of my evening journaling routine.

To be fair, this next set-up was pretty time-consuming to draw out every week. But it was sort of a transitional thing, while I looked for a planner with the same basic layout that I could use for the longer term. And, I wanted to use up the rest of the notebook before abandoning it.

So I used this system for twelve weeks before I got the end of the notebook. In the last couple of weeks I started tracking caffeine intake, but besides that the set-up remained the same.

Key Takeaways from this version

  1. I really liked the vertical layout.
  2. Seeing the temperature and barometer changes in this format was really helpful.
  3. I realized that the sleep tracking was an important element.

That was my first completed Migraine Diary. When I look back through it now I realize even more what a useful tool it was at the time. And what a helpful resource it is for me now. I can see all the ways I’ve improved my habits and routines since then. The symptoms I no longer struggle with. The confidence I have when advocating for myself healthcare-wise.

If this is all I had ever done for my migraine, it would have been absolutely worth it.

Stationery in the Photo

  • notebook
  • pen
  • highlighters (grey and yellow)
  • wooden alpha-numeric stamps
  • pencil case (a makeup pouch from society6)

P.S. Still a big fan of this genmaicha, which I’m drinking as I blog today … an overcast, quiet, somewhat rainy day.

tags: migraine · notebooks
Previous Post: « This Was My First Migraine Diary
Next Post: Some Lovely Links From Around the Internet »

Primary Sidebar

Hello lovely people, how are you? Welcome to a quiet, conversational, and pretty space on our screens. I hope it provides a little lull for us, where we can find some nice things and learn a few useful tidbits. Thanks so much for being here. xx

Recent Posts

  • Not an End Of Year Post
  • Taking Notes on Chronic Illness
  • Hiking Diaries: Kortright Conservation Area
  • Typewritings 14: Facts About Sweetgrass
  • Trying to Regain a Rhythm

blogging handmade migraine notebooks photography projects quote reading stationery typewriter

Image Credits

All lovely images in these posts are created by Andrea Hunter, unless otherwise attributed, and may not be used without permission.

Hello lovely IGers. I’m here briefly to celebrat Hello lovely IGers. I’m here briefly to celebrate the launch of this incredible book which I’ve had the privilege of collaborating on as a writer and editor. I’ve written more about it in a blog post, link in my bio.
.
.
.
Also I’m mortified that some of you may have had a pop up notification that I’ve posted something, since it’s been so long. I’m so sorry.
.
.
.
#thecarbonalmanac #factsconnectionaction
A retrospective journal spread for 2020...these ar A retrospective journal spread for 2020...these are some blank pages in the back of my planner and I’m flipping back through the months and weeks to document the things I started, finished, loved or hated, was blessed with or overcame.  I’ve set up space for 20 things (because 2020) but if I feel like turning the page and writing more I will. There are no rules to journaling. Wishing you all a lovely few more days of this year. 🤍
.
.
.#stationery #stationeryaddict #collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #journalpages #journalspread #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative #20goodthingsin2020
is saying “thank you to all of you lovelies for is saying “thank you to all of you lovelies for letting me share this letter-writing journey with you since March. I appreciate all of you so so much!”additionally, cosy = British English and cozy = American English... what’s a Canadian girl to do?
.
.
.#handwriting #handwritinggoals #letterwriting #snailmail #happymail  #stationery #stationeryaddict #collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #journalpages #printablestationery #digitalpaper #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative
#afterthepen #asmr #afterthepen #asmr
is thinking the last month of this year will be an is thinking the last month of this year will be an incredibly bittersweet time, but prepared to fill this spread with lots of good memories 🌲
.
.
.
Happy first day of December 2020 my friends ✨
.
.
.#plannergirl #planneraddict #monthlyspread #decembermonthly #stationery #stationeryaddict #collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative
“Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolat “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of community.” - bell hooks
.
.
.
Earlier this year I made a commissioned piece for a virtual healing circle.  I was honored to contribute to such a beautiful and necessary event.  It’s now many months later ... but in the midst of pandemic and holidays and lockdown, it’s still important that Black lives matter.
.
.
.#collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #journalpages #printablestationery #digitalpaper #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative #guidedjournaling #healingcircle #showyourwork #commissionedart
Lest we forget. This beautiful poem was by Canadia Lest we forget. This beautiful poem was by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Swipe right to see a copy of his original handwritten version. 🌺
.
.
.#handwriting #handwritinggoals #snailmail #happymail  #stationery #stationeryaddict #collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #journalpages #printablestationery #digitalpaper #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative #remembranceday #inflandersfields
is writing about November, Netflix, and an Inuit w is writing about November, Netflix, and an Inuit word.  Wishing you all a lovely weekend ahead 🤍xx
.
.
.
#handwriting #handwritinggoals #snailmail #happymail  #stationery #stationeryaddict #collage #paper #paperlove #journaling #journalpages #printablestationery #digitalpaper #analog #ephemera #wellbeing #selfcare #mindfulness #takecareofyourself #stayhomestaycreative
© 2022 ANDREA HUNTER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED