Doctor Warrick
Dear Dr Bishop,
My name is Sue and I have followed you since the start. For most of this time I have been living in Kota Kinabalu in Borneo, Malaysia but recently returned to Australia permanently due to my Husband having some health issues and we now living in Brisbane. This brings me to you!
My father died several years ago of heart disease. He was a heavy smoker, lack of exercise and although at the time his diet was probably considered to be healthy whereas today it wouldn’t cut it (in my eyes anyway). He had 2 brothers who consequently died of heart disease also. All three of them were in their early 60’s.
Fast approaching 60 and the thought of being diagnosed with heart disease or enduring an early death was always in my subconscious, although I have always been health conscious. Having said that my cholesterol level was always sitting around 6.5 over the years and several GPs have wanted to put me on cholesterol medication which I quietly decline.
Following your website/podcasts etc opened my eyes about having a raised cholesterol level doesn’t necessarily mean heart disease and also the discussions/information about Coronary Calcium Score tests.
Last October when we were back in Australia I decided to find out one way or another if I was a candidate for heart disease because of my family history and booked myself and my husband in for a CCS test.
The next day when we saw the GP for our results and I was bracing myself but my score came back at Zero and my Husband was 945! We were both shocked, to say the least.
My husband is now having treatment with a planned visit to the Heart Specialist on Friday and my mind is now at ease after all these years.
Anyway, thank you so much for enlightening us members of the public. If it were not for your information I would probably be still worrying about myself and my Husband may have been a ticking time bomb.
In appreciation, I have included a copy of my children’s book I wrote whilst in Malaysia.
Kind regards
Sue
