Hey. I'm Karley and I'm pushing 50-years-old. Never thought I'd make it this far.

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                                                         I've been a wheelchair user since I was twelve. A severe case of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (now called juvenile                                                                   idiopathic arthritis) diagnosed when I was five, destroyed every single one of my joints, and then disappeared when I                                                             went through puberty. The damage was done: joints fused, limbs curved, my vertebrae (which should have 33                                                                               individual bones) connected into three large pieces, my hips fused to my pelvis... I like to refer to my body as a piece of                                                             modern art. Super unique!

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                                                         Living as a severely disabled child encouraged me to pursue solitary activities. The world is far from wheelchair                                                                         accessible, and my house did not have a ramp until I was in my late 20s. I did not go out much. I did not have a lot of                                                                 friends. I spent a lot of time reading, writing, and making art. These skills probably saved my life.

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                                                         I suffered from Major Depressive Disorder, but my ability to escape into worlds I created through words or art gave                                                                 me an outlet for what I was experiencing. These days art helps me cope with CPTSD, but also hopefully helps to                                                                           inspire and encourage other survivors. Eventually I will head a nonprofit organization, SuperGlueHero, to teach                                                                         others easy art techniques (because art requires introspection, and through introspection we learn what we                                                                                   want/need from life, and maybe even concoct plans on how to achieve them) and to remind others that we can save                                                                 ourselves. We can be our own hero. SGH will be a little sister to Operation Safe Escape, an organization that "provides free, confidential support to help survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and harassment safely escape and rebuild their lives." Check them out here https://safeescape.org/

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I currently reside in Dundalk, Maryland (a suburb of Baltimore) with my partner, Jeremy, and our three cats.  

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