Paralysed architect communicates by drawing houses

An architect left paralysed by a stroke has learnt to communicate with the outside world using the only thing he can remember - drawings of plans of houses.

Phil Jones, 68, was left unable to speak, read or write and was paralysed down the right side of his body following a brain haemorrhage in 2005.

He has managed to devise a unique method of communicating with his wife Deanna using skills that he developed during his career.

Mr Jones draws plans of the house with his left hand to tell his wife what he needs. If he wants something from the kitchen, he will draw a plan of the house, working down towards the room and the location of the item.

However, the method is not without its difficulties - Mrs Jones said it can sometimes take all day to work out what he wants. It recently took all day, from the morning until the evening, to work out that he wanted a banana.

She said: "When he had his stroke he was also hit with aphasia, a condition that affects a person's ability to speak, read, or write. He now has to draw with his left hand. But it didn't take away his ability to see things as architects do, that bird's eye view."

Mrs Jones added that her husband enjoys spending time in the garden and is able to draw a plan of it when he wants to go outside.

The couple only met a year before Mr Jones had his stroke, which left the previously fit and active 58-year-old in hospital for six months.

Mrs Jones said they met each other while dancing and although her husband can no longer do this, he still likes listening to music.

Victoria Sadler from the charity Connect, which supports stroke and aphasia sufferers, described Mr Jones's achievements as "remarkable". 

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