A ROGUE brain surgeon’s victim told how the “evil” medic left her in so much pain that she pleaded with her mother to kill her.
Migraines sufferer Leann Sutherland, 34, even planned her own funeral after being treated like a “guinea pig” by Sam Eljamel, who is thought to have botched ops on more than 200 patients.
Alan MacGregor EwingLeann Sutherland who was a victim of surgeon Sam Eljamil. She fears she’ll be dead by the time the inquiry finishes.[/caption]
Leann Sutherland had her life wrecked by rogue surgeon Professor Sam Eljamel
The incision made by the brain doctor that resulted in her life being ruined
And she accused the disgraced Libyan — who is facing a probe into his 18-year reign of terror at NHS Tayside — of destroying her life and robbing her of the chance to start a family.
Leann, of Dundee, was operated on seven times in four months by Eljamel at the city’s Ninewells Hospital after being struck by crippling headaches.
Recalling her heartbreaking plea to mum Gwenn, 61, as the worsening pain made her suicidal, Leann, then 21, said: “She could not kill me but she was going to give me medication and go.
“She thought I was dying and didn’t want to put me through any more. I can’t believe that I asked my mum to do that.
“Dr Eljamel is evil. What he did to me was torture. I was his guinea pig to be experimented on.”
Leann’s nightmare began at the age of 16 when she was struck down with pains in her head.
After years of agony, she thought her prayers had been answered when she was referred to Eljamel.
At the time he was being hailed as the country’s best neurosurgeon.
He told Leann she’d undergo a quick and easy operation to remove a section of her skull and be back to normal within days.
But a week after the surgery at Ninewells, spinal fluid was running down the back of her neck because Eljamel had used an experimental glue to seal up her wound.
She eventually collapsed and was rushed back into theatre for an emergency operation.
After that Leann had to battle deadly meningitis and fluid on the brain.
And during a lumbar puncture, she claimed she heard her spine snap. Her distressed mum had to step in and demand the procedure be stopped.
Leann, right, said: “The migraines were worse than ever before. I’ve never experienced pain like it.
“An animal wouldn’t be put through something like that.”
Leann spent months in agony trapped in a hospital bed and was convinced she would never be well enough to leave Ninewells.
She struck up a close relationship with a minister from her local church and he began visiting her up to four times a week.
The pair often prayed together and the reverend agreed he would hold Leann’s funeral with her favourite rap songs rather than organ music.
Thankfully, she did start to recover and was allowed out of hospital for short breaks — although she always had to return at night to get her medication.
Leann explained: “I got home leave. It sounds like prison.
“But at least with prison you do your time and walk away. I’m still being punished to this day.”
She claims other medics told her at the time that Eljamel had saved her life.
Since then she has spent years fighting to be listened to.
Leann has been left with two plastic tubes in her head and has had to abandon her dream of becoming a police officer. Her medical ordeal meant she missed out on celebrating her 21st birthday with pals.
Hopes of a normal family life also cruelly vanished when Leann was told she will never be able to have children.
And she believes she will never get married because she doesn’t want to be a burden on a partner.
The nail and beauty technician said: “The house with the husband, kids and white picket fence is gone — all because of Dr Eljamel.
“It would not be fair to someone else because I might die at 47. And if they wanted kids, then that’s out of the question. I’m ill a lot. Who wants that?”
Leann suspects Eljamel realised she was vulnerable because her dad Paul died at 43 and she only had her mum to speak up for her.
She believes her story might have been completely different if the boxer and oil worker had still been around to fight for her.
It’s feared that Eljamel may have harmed more than 200 patients during his time at Ninewells.
Health board chiefs suspended him after he performed surgery on a patient’s healthy spinal disc.
He fled to his native Libya, where he was known to be still operating on kids just three years ago. After years of campaigning from traumatised victims, First Minister Humza Yousaf has now confirmed an independent public inquiry.
Cops have also launched a probe. Leann wants to see the neurosurgeon forced to return here to face a trial.
She said: “If Police Scotland could prove criminality, I would love to see him go to prison. That would be justice.
“I want that not just for me but for the others whose lives he has ruined as well.
“He nearly cost me my life. What he did to me could still kill me. I might not be here to get answers. All this stress and fighting for justice takes its toll.”
Police Scotland said: “Enquiries are ongoing.” NHS Tayside urged anyone with concerns to contact their patient liaison service.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and have many unanswered questions.
“We believe a full public inquiry is the only route to determining what happened and what can be done to prevent this happening again. The process to appoint a chair for the public inquiry is under way.”
Leann looking healthy from before her surgeries, which wrecked her life
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