Life, One Cup at a Time – a Column by Alyssa Silva

August 16, 2019August 14, 2019

A Weekend Getaway Requires Meticulous Planning

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

“Raise your hand if your return to reality has been a struggle.” That was the text I received moments after being set up on my phone to write this ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 7, 2019

Why I Skipped My Column Last Week

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

In case you missed it, I skipped writing a column last Friday. I wouldn’t say it was by choice, even though one could argue that technically I requested the ... Read more

July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

What Fuels Me Amid the Stress of Planning a Fundraiser

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

As I write this column, only 11 days are left before my nonprofit organization hosts its 10th annual gala for spinal muscular atrophy. Eleven. And while 11 has always ... Read more

July 19, 2019July 17, 2019

Why I View My Life As a Deck of Cards

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

There’s a famous quote by Randy Pausch in his book “The Last Lecture“ that says, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” ... Read more

July 12, 2019July 10, 2019

Life in the Fast Lane Leaves Me Struggling to Keep Up

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

The title of this column may be a tad deceiving — so allow me to clarify. My wheelchair only goes 6.2 miles per hour, and when you have an ... Read more

June 28, 2019June 26, 2019

I Wish That Living with My Complicated Kind of ‘Normal’ Were Easier

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

Sometimes, I wish it were easier. I wish it were easier for doctors to pinpoint the root cause of my mysterious daily symptoms. I would like to receive answers ... Read more

June 21, 2019June 19, 2019

Curiosity and Sweet Moments Build Special Bonds

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

As I was staring at a blank screen preparing to write this column, my little cousins Jackson and Mackenzie, who are 8 and 6 respectively, were playing with my ... Read more

June 14, 2019June 12, 2019

Driving to Faraway Coffee Shops While Learning to Honor My Good Days

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

Out of context, telling people that I willingly drive for an hour to get a good cup of coffee sounds pretty ridiculous. After all, think of the countless coffee ... Read more

June 7, 2019June 5, 2019

Small Spinraza Changes Yielded Big Results

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

I believe that the smallest changes can often yield the most impactful results. Someday when you reflect on your life’s culmination of little moments and modest actions, you will ... Read more

May 31, 2019June 21, 2019

Let’s Foster More Acceptance

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

Last summer, I wrote about how having SMA is apparently an open invitation for people to stare at me. It sounds crazy, right? It’s almost as though people in ... Read more