Q: Think about your strengths and feel proud of them. Do things that make you feel good about yourself--take time to finish that painting you started or go on a run. Acknowledging that something bad happened to you, and realizing that you are strong enough to deal with it is a key part of getting over your heartbreak. Make a list of your strengths. Remind yourself of your accomplishments, and the good qualities you have. The act of writing them out can remind you of them, or you can create a list and read it whenever you feel down. You are not alone in the world. Look for a trusted friend or advisor, or a close relative, and tell them how you feel. Sometimes just getting your feelings off your chest can help you work through them. Additionally, you never know what help other people can give, whether it's good advice, or just a shoulder to cry on. Physical exercise causes your body to release serotonin (a chemical that makes us feel happy) and stimulates the growth of nerve cells. On an emotional level, exercising may help you to feel like you are becoming the master of yourself again. Plus, you'll look better too.  You don't need a full workout. Something as simple as 10-15 minutes a day doing a simple exercise like jogging or yoga can be enough to get you a good frame of mind. Even work that doesn't feel like exercise, like weeding a garden or taking a walk outside, gets you some fresh air while you move. The most important thing is that you stay consistent in what you do.  If you're feeling down, it can be hard to motivate yourself to exercise. Work around that by distracting yourself with something enjoyable. Maybe just walk through a mall or some other place you enjoy. You can also give yourself something to do only while exercising, like listening to certain music you enjoy, or watch your favorite TV show while on a machine. That will keep your mind off the workout and onto something you enjoy. As long as you leave that only for exercising, it can give you something fun to come back to.  You can always ask a friend to come with you. Even if you don't talk, or have anything to talk about, it's always nice to exercise with company rather than by yourself. Being responsible to another person also makes it easier to show up regularly than being responsible to yourself. Keep an eye out for the major differences between sadness (a normal and healthy emotion) and depression. When you are depressed, nothing you think about seems to matter in your life, and you are unable to stop thinking about the things that cause you grief. If you think you are noticing these signs, or if your sadness lingers for several weeks or up to a month, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
A: Think positively about yourself. Talk to someone else. Exercise. Look out for depression.

Q: Following your arthroscopic knee surgery, it's important to do what your doctor thinks is most appropriate for the best possible recovery. Your knee may not end up being perfect, but following specific advice about controlling inflammation and pain, as well as stimulating healing, will lead to the best outcome for your particular injury.  Almost all arthroscopic knee surgery is done on an outpatient basis and lasts only a few hours at most. Arthroscopy can be performed under local, regional, or general anesthesia, which prevents you from feeling pain during the surgery. The most common conditions that warrant arthroscopy of the knee are: torn meniscus cartilage, pieces of cartilage within the joint space (known as "joint mice"), torn or damaged ligaments, chronically inflamed joint lining (called synovium), misaligned kneecap (patella) or removal of cysts behind the knee. Your doctor will recommend medications mainly to control pain and inflammation, but possibly also to deter infections and/or blood clots depending on your diagnosis, age, and overall health condition. Be careful not to take any medications on an empty stomach, as they can irritate the lining of your stomach and increase the risk of stomach ulcers.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin help you deal with inflammation and pain. Analgesics such as opioids, diclofenac and acetaminophen help you to get relief from pain, but not inflammation. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infections, whereas anticoagulants prevent blood clots. To help prevent inflammation in your knee naturally, elevate your leg higher than your heart level by using pillows to support the leg while you rest. This will help blood and lymph fluid return into circulation as opposed to collecting in your lower leg or knee. It's easier to elevate your leg while lying on the couch instead of sitting in a chair. Total bed rest is not a good idea for any type of musculoskeletal injury because some movement (even just limping around the house) is needed to stimulate blood flow and healing. As such, some rest is good, but complete inactivity is counterproductive. The application of ice is an effective treatment for essentially all acute musculoskeletal injuries because it restricts blood vessels (reducing inflammation) and numbs nerve fibers (reducing pain). Cold therapy should be applied above and around the scar from the operation for about 15 minutes every 2-3 hours for a couple of days, then reduce the frequency as the pain and swelling subside.  Compressing the ice against your knee with a bandage or elastic support will also help control the inflammation and limit swelling. Always wrap ice or frozen gel packs in a thin towel in order to prevent frostbite on your skin. You will leave the hospital with a sanitized dressing covering your knee, which will absorb any blood that leaks from the wound. Your surgeon will tell you when you can shower or bathe, and when you should change the dressing in order to reduce the likelihood of infection. The main intention is to keep the surgical incision clean and dry. Using some antiseptic solution on the wound as you change the bandage is a good idea.  In most cases, you'll be able to fully wash your body about 48 hours after surgery. Common antiseptic solutions include iodine, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Check with your surgeon before applying anything to the wound. For example, iodine can impede wound healing and has fallen out of favor with some surgeons Signs of infection post-surgery include increased pain and swelling near the incision, drainage of pus and/or red streaks extending from the affected area, fever and lethargy. If any of these signs manifest, then see your doctor immediately.  Your doctor will treat your infection with systemic antibiotics and local antiseptic solutions. In more extreme cases, your infected wound may have to be drained of the pus and fluid.
A:
Listen to your surgeon's instructions. Take medications as directed. Elevate your leg while resting. Apply ice around your knee. Maintain proper dressage care. Beware of signs of infection.