I lost my leg and suffered internal burning after being electrocuted

Milly Pickles, a Bournemouth Uni Marketing student, left as usual for her placement one morning.

She was ten minutes early for work so decided to pop out and buy two boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts for her work mates. There wasn't a special occasion, she just had that Friday feeling.

She'd just joined the gym, booked driving lessons, and her mum had just got back from holiday. She rang her up telling her she was the happiest she had ever been.

Later that day, Milly was electrocuted. The circumstances surrounding exactly what happened remain unclear at this moment in time.

However, Milly remembers the entirety of the two minutes she had to endure 750 volts passing through her body, leaving her fighting for her life.

Milly was rushed to hospital after the incident, in which an electric current entered her right heel, travelled through her leg and pelvis and then down her left leg and out of her big toe. Luckily, something prevented the current entering her spine and travelling to her brain, making it a miracle that she is still alive.

Devastatingly, the incident which happened in September, left Milly having to have her right leg amputated and she also lost her big toe on her other foot.

Her body was 36 per cent burnt – the majority of which were internal burns.

Milly spent two and a half months in hospital, and has gone through multiple surgeries before returning home to recover. She now has a prosthetic leg enabling her to walk.

Her life has completely changed, from her shoe size to her routine. Milly's shoe size was previously a 7.5 and now it's a 4, and she's had to learn how to walk and stand all over again.

This hasn't made her any less of a happy and positive person, and she now helps other people in a similar position to her. She has support from her friends, family and even Paralympian and fellow amputee, Jonnie Peacock, who sent her a supportive video that she shared on Instagram.

Milly told The Tab Bournemouth: "I’ve had a lot of people say that I’ve helped them out of dark places and they’ve seen what I’ve been through and realised that their problems are tiny and they’re lucky to be alive.

"People say that I’ve inspired them, that I’m strong, they wish they had my mindset. But people don't need to wish they had my mindset, being positive is a choice and people can act upon it.

"In hospital I was asked by my surgeons to talk to a man who was about to get his leg amputated, he was 60, nervous and crying. I told him about my situation and how I dealt with it, and what it was like when I saw my leg amputated.

"I’m weirdly happy and I just want to make people feel better."

As a lacrosse player, her injuries have affected more than just her academic life at BU. For Milly to be able to play again, she will need a prosthetic blade – which isn't available on the NHS. A crowdfunding page has been set up by her team mates, to help raise money for her care, and hopefully a blade in the future.

On the page, her team mates describe her as "an outgoing, kind and beautiful person" and say it would be a "great honour" to be able to provide support and contribute towards her prosthetic blade.

Milly has been undergoing physio sessions, and is making great progress. She says this is because of her positive mindset, and having youth on her side.

"I’m recovering really well, they’ve said it's because I’ve always been active, I’m young and determined – I really want my life back. "

The 21-year-old was just months into placement when all of this happened. BU have allowed Milly to make a choice about what she wants to do going forward.

"I decided to go back to uni in September, and BU have excused me from placement, but I have gone back. It ends in August so I still have six months left. I'm doing one day a week and gradually building it up. They’ve given me a laptop so I can work from home."

Milly has also started a blog, where she shares her journey and experiences, which she says isn't something she'd usually do.

"I am such a private person and I hate people knowing my business, so to do what I'm doing is really hard. I feel like because I survived, I’m meant to be here for a reason, I think it’s my duty to help people. It’s changed my whole perspective on life.

"Before my accident I never really knew the meaning of life and how lucky you are to be alive. It’s a shame that I’ve had to lose a leg to be able to see this.

"I loved my life before, I’ve never been a negative person. An hour before my accident I was on the phone to my mum telling her how happy I was.

"I know how lucky I am to be alive and I’m so positive, that’s why I’m so happy and I’ve accepted it. I love my leg, and I’ve embraced it."

To read the blog click here, or to donate to her cause click here.