A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Etheses - Queen Margaret ...

crammed bookcases and decorated with old maps of the world. A micromark heater was
switched on and giving warmth. I was there to observe Jennie making a start to her working
day:
236
I‟ll normally get up... I‟ll go through... I‟ll take my pills and my blood pressure...
and then usually just take a cereal bar straight into the study... and work there right
away... the time of this varies depending on other aspects of my schedule „cos
sometimes I„ll end up working here till after midnight... so I won‟t necessarily be
back at eight the next morning... also, of course, often I‟m sick in the mornings so
that affects me to some extent... but usually I‟m well enough to go to my desk while
I wouldn‟t be well enough to go to a job somewhere else... (l.3:113ff.)
It is from this study that Jennie runs her own business, a media company established two and
a half years ago:
... well, at least we‟ve been live for that long... we reach about 200,000 people a
month... that‟s been climbing month by month since our inception... and we cover all
aspects of the film industry... we‟re attempting to make independent film more
visible... (l.3:146ff.)
When talking about how her support needs are met, Jennie discussed the close relationships
she has with her flatmate John and her two partners, Hugh and Alasdair. Hugh also lives in
the flat while Alasdair lives in a flat across the road. These relationships involve a sharing of
skills and abilities in order to support each other‟s requirements, in terms of work, studying,
cooking, getting about. For example, Jennie proofreads for Hugh, who is dyslexic (l.1:348).
Alasdair will cook hot meals for Jennie as she cannot herself carry out the practical tasks
involved in cooking, such as lifting pans (l.3:299):
...we basically manage things as a group of us... erm... Hugh does most of the
housework here in the house and I work and bring in money, basically... erm... and
Hugh studies as well... Alasdair‟s a photographer, so he‟s on flexible hours most of
the time... he does a lot of practical stuff for me... but Alasdair couldn‟t cook at all
when I first got together with him five years ago... so I‟ve basically taught him to
cook in exchange for him doing the work... and that works out... and Hugh makes
me food from time to time as well... and Alasdair helps me to get about to places...
he‟s the person I feel safest with, pushing my wheelchair when I have to be in that...
(l.3:286ff.)