
Versatile233714
Long Awaited and Anticipated Journey... Healing Up
I was over 350lbs during my teenage years due to being heavily medicated and institutionalized. I lost all the weight with healthy eating and exercise and have consistently exercised for 25 years but there was only so far I could get with exercise. I got a lot from reading these reviews so I will be thorough. No kids, no health issues. Lots of hanging skin due to the weight loss. Menopause made it worse. I did my research and consulted with many doctors. I considered going to Florida because I didn't just want a tummy tuck on the level of basic. If I am going to go under the knife and pay my hard earned money I want to feel good looking in the mirror. You may know what it's like to move your extra skin, and you can see what you could look like if you hadn't had it. I am 5'4 around 137lbs usually. After one consult with a CERTAIN cincinnati dr I will not name here I left crying because he made me feel so ugly, yanked my skin around, on my face, which I thought was fine, basically picked me apart. I had the thought of blowing it off, if all surgeons are A-holes like this one. I finally found Tork, and I just loved his work. You could tell from his before and afters that he was taking years off these women with the procedures. What I was most impressed with was his "seams" as I say, the sewup job is immaculate, beautiful. So I went to consult. IT WAS HARD TO GET IN. I had to fight my way in there for like 2 years. He was between offices, changing from plastic surgery group. I was willing to fight, I didn't think I could get this work around here on this level. I can be pushy when I want something. Consult, I did not have to feel so bad stripping down. He was so gentle and positive and has something nice to say. There were some ideas about the procedure, but I wanted specifically what I wanted not what he wanted, even though it would have been amazing on my body, it was a boundary for me that I didn't want to under anesthesia over 8 hours. So I had chosen tummy tuck 360 lipo. Booking was a little messy due to the changeup in his office I think or maybe because he is busy I don't know. I won't gloss over that. I told him I wanted to keep my hips and curves, I like the thick look. I had gained a little weight before the surgery to make sure, my boobs, hips and thighs would be as big as they could be after. February 3rd, I went to Journeylite. I was not nervous. I have wanted Tork to do this for at least 2 years. Let's get it done already! The night before he had done drawings on my body, I really didn't know what exactly he was planning. The team of ladies came over and they told me they would be doing a catheter but luckily after I was already knocked out! Glad about that. Dr Tork came to talk to us. I was knocked out pretty fast. I woke up and honestly I was in a ton of pain. The nurse gave me some sort of pain meds for it. I can't describe the feeling, but I think it is what you'd expect realistically. That's another thing I won't gloss over. I have a high pain tolerance also, apparently tummy tuck is one of the hardest things to go through. I wanted to go home immediately even though I had the option of staying. Dr Tork did see me before I left and explained how it went. He said they worked some magic. I was able to walk upstairs. We got set up for the long haul, my fiancee is an amazing and patient caretaker. Nausea. Pain. Your body doesn't like it. In addition to all their meds I took Indica weed gummies and Firelands Scientific Indica tincture. I like it for the pain and sleep and nausea and less side effects. Absolutely terrible, so much pain, getting up and down. Constipation and acid reflux due to the meds. Your job the first week is just to stay alive. Couple days, went in to see the doctor and he showed the incision to me the first time. I loved it, on my T juncture it didn't even look like it had been cut or sewed. It was perfect for me. Better than I expected. I do everything the doctor says, except due to constipation and such I couldn't get down the protein I needed. I worried this may have led to slower healing for me. The doctor is so gentle I had almost no bruising. This is insane given what was done. The seam is sewn internally. It just looks like it was glued together. No dog ears, no weirdness to it. My bellybutton looks super pretty. He says in the future we may do bellybutton training to deepen it but I don't know, I like it how it is so far. People say the first 3-4 days is the worst. That was not my experience, I felt terrible for 9 days. The 9th day was when I started to feel better. I didn't ever really feel the incision. I just felt sick, pain, and sharp pain internally where the muscles were sewn together. I didn't take the percocet but two times because I can handle the pain better than constipation. I am 2.5 weeks out. I busted a stitch at my T juncture with my first big cough and have some drainage to deal with. I love showering! I hate the FAJA and I hated the drain, gross. I am so happy with my procedure. Dr Tork has seen me for several followups, always meticulously caring for things and wrapping things up, he is always gentle and caring. He has been in contact with us through the whole thing with texts and calls. We are really thankful that Dr Tork is in Cincinnati with his skill level and that he wants to work so hard for his family, (I'm assuming that's his motivation) because I couldn't have gotten a better result or care anywhere. I hope to update further as I heal. Forgot to say, it lifted my legs skin. He lifted the mons and lipoed the mons to make it all seamless. Taking years off My body, the worst years. Get a walker. Do heat packs. They help healing a lot. Don't wear the faja too tight. Do your protein shakes, premier protein are easiest to suck down, wish I had got them earlier. Updated on 28 Feb 2025: In this video you will see that I am still just a little bit hunched over... that is the reason for the hunch in my back. I also hope that if you are looking to have this procedure you understand that there is a lot of healing time if you have kids you will need having help with them. I cannot imagine having done this with children Running around. I am very pleased so far with how things are looking. Updated on 28 Feb 2025: Today was another nice quick check in with Doctor Tork. He is very busy, he showed up in scrubs right directly from surgery and was smiling and always very nice. He took the pictures for my Before & After with the same bikini that I wore when I went in first, I can't wait to get those pictures back. I am very blessed my fiance has been by my side the whole process with me, and he was there to help today as usual, as the Doctor explained how to use the special silicone scar tape. This did cost a little extra and also he explained how to do the belly button training. I was confused about this because I personally feel that the belly button I am looking at is perfect the way it is, but Doctor Tork says that it is important because the scars will change and that is how the silicone and the belly button training will keep everything looking nice. The scar tape itself cost A little extra money, but it is supposed to last for several months. Doctor Tork seems to be pleased with the healing so far and he also gave me a new and clean foam for under the faja. You have to wear the faja 24/7 for 6 weeks... I also am now able to sleep on my side and to sleep in bed although I often like to pile up a blanket underneath my waistline just because I am kind of meticulous myself about the curves right now and my current hip 2 waist ratio is awesome. I am beyond pleased but I cannot wait till the day I can remove my faja and start walking around looking like this with my new body, try on clothes without having to position my extra skin like some of you probably know what I'm talking about! Updated on 20 Mar 2025: Finally I'm out of the faja during the day and I can wear yoga pants instead. Such a relief. Can't wait until I'm out of the faja for good...still have to wear it at night. Yesterday I had my first lymphatic massage. I booked it with Satori by Deborah in Cincinnati. She did a wonderful job. I felt comfortable with her and I felt like I lost a little of the swelling and stiffness around my waist right after. She was very informative about how salt and fat will affect the process and has gone through it herself! I overdid it on the garden work the day before our massage so my knees were swollen. Posting a video with a good view of before and afters from the process I've been through over the past few weeks. Another followup with Dr. Tork today, hope I'm doing my bellybutton training correctly. Updated on 11 Jul 2025: A few weeks ago I was on vacation and because I was able to really rest and sleep we saw a jump in healing. The scar changed look over 3 days becoming much more pale and laying more flat than before. Felt the feeling inside of dropping. Now I'm about 5 months out of surgery and it's the itchy stage. Super itchy!