Paralysed woman uses Morse code

Alan Jones demonstrates he made the switch to allow his mother to communicate using Morse code.

The 79-year-old woman who was almost completely paralysed after a fall has learned to talk to her son by tapping out Morse code with her thumb.

Sylvia Jones, 79, from Swansea, suffered brain damage five years ago. Sylvia Jones, 79, from Swansea, suffered brain damage five years ago.

But thanks to her schoolgirl knowledge of Morse code, she has broken her silence using sounded dots and dashes. Schoolgirl But thanks to her knowledge of Morse code, she has broken her silence Sounded using dots and dash.

Her communication skills were developed with her son Alan, an ex-BBC technician who rigged up a system using an old margarine tub and shower curtain ring. Her communication skills were developed with her son Alan, an ex-BBC technician who rigged up a system using an old margarine tub and shower curtain ring.

He had worked out how they could communicate again after sitting by her bedside for 16 weeks as she recovered from a life-saving operation. He had worked out how they could communicate again after sitting by her Bedside for the 16 weeks she recovered from a life-saving operation.

Mrs Jones's injury has left her unable to move, speak or feed herself but her understanding is unimpaired. Mrs Jones's injury has left her unable to move, speak or feed herself but her understanding is unimpaired.

Mr Jones, 52, of the West Cross area of the city, said: "First one eye opened, then the other, then her right thumb moved." Mr Jones, 52, of the West Cross area of the city, said: "First one eye opened, then the other, then moved her right thumb."

He said that after she was moved to a hospital ward he thought about how to communicate with her and remembered her knowledge of Morse code. He said that after she was moved to the hospital ward he thought about how to communicate with her and remembered her knowledge of Morse code.


Sylvia and Alan Jones
She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer Alan Jones Alan Jones.

"My mother had learned it as a child from her father, my grandfather," he said. "My mother had learned it as a child from her father, my grandfather," he said.

"Of course, she hadn't used it for 60 years so obviously she was rusty, but she remembered it and it all grew from there." "Of course, she had not used it for 60 years so she was obviously rusty, but she remembered it and it all grew from there."

Mr Jones, a former BBC World Service technician, used his technical knowledge to make a system using a margarine tub, a shower curtain ring and an old plug. Mr Jones, a former BBC World Service technician, used his technical knowledge to make the system using a margarine tub, a shower curtain ring and an old plug.

Using this, his mother is able to knock out messages in code so they can communicate. Using this, his mother is able to knock out messages in code so they can communicate.

He has also devised an electronic version of snakes and ladders, so his mother can play the board game with him. He has also devised an electronic version of snakes and ladders, so his mother can play the board game with him.

He has grown so skilled he can look at her thumb and understand what she is saying by interpreting her movement. He has grown so skilled he can look at her thumb and understand what she is saying by interpreting her movement.

"I printed out the information I needed about Morse code from the internet and taught myself the alphabet," he said. "I printed out the information I needed about Morse code from the Internet and taught myself the alphabet," he said.

Morse chart
The Morse chart in the room at the care home The Morse chart in the room at the care home.



"She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer. "She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer.

"The first thing she ever said after I had learned the alphabet was 'How is Fred?' "The first thing she said after I had ever learned the alphabet was' How is Fred?" "That was a reference to our pet tortoise who was in the attic hibernating. "That was a reference to our pet tortoise who was in the Attic Hibernating. She was more concerned about the tortoise than herself." She was more concerned about herself than the tortoise. "

Mr Jones spends up to nine hours a day sitting with his mother at the residential home, where she now lives in nearby Gorseinon. Mr Jones spends up to nine hours a day sitting with his mother at the residential home, where she now lives in nearby Gorseinon.

His goal is to get her back home permanently and he is now working on a way to translate her coded messages on to a computer screen. His goal is to get her back home permanently and he is now working on a way to translate her coded messages on to the computer screen.

"That will mean what she taps out will be able to be read by anyone present, allowing her to have conversations with other people." "That will mean taps out what she will be able to be read by anyone present, allowing her to have conversations with other people."

"She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer She can hear and understand what I am saying but she has to use Morse code to answer Alan Jones"

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