Alyssa Silva,  —

Alyssa Silva is a writer based out of Providence, Rhode Island. She was diagnosed with SMA type 1 in 1991 when she was just 5 months old. Aside from writing, Alyssa is the chief creative officer for an intimates brand and runs a small business selling her artwork. In her free time, you can find her canceling plans to hang out with her golden retrievers, watching reruns of "The Office," and convincing others why Taylor Swift is the greatest of all time.

Articles by Alyssa Silva

My First Mistake of 2018

Coming to you, live from my couch and in yesterday’s clothes, this column is all about how I made a mistake. Truth be told, I’m not happy about admitting it. But with these words and with these columns, I made a promise to myself to always show up…

The Christmas Tree in the Bay Window

Growing up, there was a big bay window in the house where I lived. It overlooked the front yard and gave a great view of the surrounding houses and outside world. The sunlight shone through it, making anyone who sat next to it feel warm and happy. To…

Merry Flu Season

This morning, I woke up to a most unusual greeting from my mother. “Good morning. I want you to stay out of Massachusetts,” she said while removing the BiPAP from my nose. Typically, she knows not to speak to me when I first wake up in the morning.

Wishing for Free Time

Free time is a beautiful and wonderful thing to have in a day. It allows time for the activities we love most, breaks up our days so we’re not wearing ourselves thin, and gives a moment to rest and re-energize. It also is a rarity in my life…

The Season: Pneumonia Edition

Well, friends, today’s column is going to be unlike what you read here most in my little corner of the internet. That’s because this column is brought to you by endless fluids, antibiotics, steroids, and a nasty respiratory infection that is most likely walking pneumonia. Ah, yes,…

Spare Me from Your Sippy Cup

Let’s start this column off in the most real way possible. I’m weird. And I’m not afraid to let everyone know. I’m not talking about my weirdly disproportionate head-to-body ratio or that I have an arm that weirdly resembles that of a chicken wing. No, the weirdness I’m…

Why I’m Grateful for Another Year

Birthdays take on a slightly different meaning around here. At this time every year, I think about a story my mother once told me about the first birthday I celebrated and wonder how painful and heart-wrenching it all must have been for my family to process. Although I’ll…

The Perfect Bite-Sized Amount

Until I was 15, I managed to stay reasonably healthy. But for the first time in almost a decade that year, I was hospitalized. The winter months can be tricky, with colds and flu taking over just about every person you come in contact with. I was admitted…

My Wheelchair Is Dead. Now What?

My wheelchair has been my ultimate sidekick since I was a curly-headed toddler, and just like any other great sidekick, I rely on it for pretty much every aspect of life. Without my wheelchair, I would be helpless, confined and literally stuck. As the only source of independent…