Bottling up the summer joy that always transforms my life
With August officially here, I feel like I’m in a competition with time, frantically trying to make the most of…
Articles by Alyssa Silva
With SMA, I’ve had to learn the art of patience
I don’t always feel helpless, but when I do, there’s a bug in my vicinity. My house has felt like…
How I navigated elementary school while living with SMA
When my mother was 7 years old, she moved to the United States without knowing a word of English. I’ve…
Soccer season reminds me of how adaptive sports shaped my life
If you’re a soccer fan like me, I imagine you’re thriving at this time of the year. Because I grew…
Finding comedic relief after being diagnosed with migraines
The delicacy of my health is no joke, but during a recent appointment with my ear, nose, and throat specialist,…
Learning to accept the unexpected loss of my ability to swallow
While living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), losing physical abilities is expected due to the progressive nature of…
Inner strength and external support help me navigate life with SMA
Living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), I’m often met with this question from others: “How do you do…
Embracing the unexpected after my 30th Spinraza injection
This column describes the author’s own experience with a Spinraza (nusinersen) injection. Not everyone will have the same…
Redefining progress in life with SMA and assistive devices
After closing the tab on my browser, I couldn’t help but wonder how much progress I’d made in the past…
Answering kids’ questions about SMA includes encouraging them
If you’ve perused my columns in the past, you’ll know I’m a big advocate for teaching children about…