We are so pleased to feature Dino as our a featured patient in our Real Patient Stories video series! Our Real Patient Stories series focuses on candid video testimonials from the patients Dr. Walden has treated in her Austin, Texas cosmetic surgery practice. Real Patient Stories are “in their own words” patient experiences.
Dino is a sweet and attractive 21 year old male who had a massive weight loss (over 50 pounds) as a young man with diet and exercise. Dino was interested in getting the extra hanging skin removed and muscles of the abdomen tightened, so he went on several consultation for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedure. Dino felt like he had found the perfect match when he met and spoke with Dr. Walden to do his procedure. Here is Dino’s story in his own words about the consultation, operation, and postoperative care at the office of Dr. Walden in Austin, Texas.
“I’m Dino. I’m 21. I had abdominoplasty, lipo in the flanks, 4 weeks ago…
I’ve been working out for two years. I’ve lost 65 pounds. I was pretty obese. I was 265 pounds. I kept working out and I dropped weight. I’d see a result here and there. You know, I’d drop some more weight and the midsection, for me, it would never seem to go away. It was always there no matter how much weight I dropped. Whatever I did, it was always there. At the time, I never realized what loose shin was. I was like I gotta work out harder or I gotta do more abs. But, no matter how much I worked out, or how much cardio, or dieting, or abs, or whatever I’d done at the gym for weeks, months, years at a time. Finally, I started to talking to some friends and they told me I had pretty bad loose skin. That maybe I’d look into having that done.
So, I started doing some research about it trying to figure out exactly what I had. I started looking up a lot of abdominoplasty surgeons who do more than others. Dr. Walden’s name was at the top of the list. I started doing some more research on Dr. Walden and I found all kinds of reviews about people having great results. When I saw that she did the operation on the winner of the biggest loser, that really boosted my confidence about Dr. Walden altogether. That someone coming from the show that had that much weight to lose and there are so many doctors out there that could have done the surgery and she went to Dr. Walden.
It is said that she [Dr. Walden] is a women in a business amongst men. That meant a lot because I could almost understand. When you’re a woman running with men, you’re going to want to make a name for yourself. You’re going to want to do things the best the way that you can. That’s what I kept thinking. She’s [Dr. Walden] going to try to do the best that she can.
I just look for someone who’s the most professional. I wanted to go to the person who was the most qualified. Whether that was a man or a woman. You know I didn’t want to judge on sex of the person. Dr. Walden was more than qualified.
I went in that morning and it was really early. I was a little nervous walking in. You’re put under anesthesia and put to sleep. You know, going through a four and a half to five hour long surgery. when I got in there the whole staff was awesome and made me feel comfortable and at home.
Dr. Walden was on top of everything. She was right down to business, in “the zone”, of making it right.
Recovery was big thing for me. I kept thinking about recovery because I live such an active lifestyle. I was thinking the worst. When I finally made the decision to do it, I was like this recovery is going to be so bad. I was thinking the worst. For me, recovery wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I have come out of it a lot faster than I thought I would come out of it. Doing a lot better than what I’d thought I’d be doing at 4 weeks. Afterwards, working out so long and so hard trying to see the results, then finally seeing the results. It was an amazing feeling.
People ask me all the time, what’d you think? Would you do it again if you had to? Only being 4 weeks out of it, I’d definitely do it again. When you’re undergoing that kind of surgery you really want to do your research to make sure that you’re finding the right doctor. You don’t want to go see somebody who’s not trying to do what you’re trying to do. You gotta make sure you’re on the same page with your doctor. That both of you guys want the same outcome.
I talked to a couple doctors before and none of them just felt right. Then when I met Dr. Walden, I signed that day. If I had to put it in words, she’s like a perfectionist. It’s more like an art piece, [she] is trying to make it the best that she can more than the money. She wants it to be as good as you want it to be. She wants it to be perfect. You can really tell that when you meet her and that means a lot. If you’d visit her, you’d understand that every question you would have to ask, every worry you have, is taken care of, is answered. As far as her being a doctor, she’s probably one of the best I’ve been around and talked to and I’ve talked to a few of them. There are no if, ands, or buts about it, if I had to do it again I’d go to Dr. Walden. It changes you. You can actually feel more confident in yourself.
Finally seeing the results that I have worked for was a big thing for me. Working out that hard, putting that many hours in the gym, and finally seeing what I worked out for, it’s awesome.”
Thank you, Dino, for sharing your inspiring story with us!
