Diagnosed at 5 months of age, Alyssa has set out to raise awareness about life with SMA Type I through writing. By getting personal and being open about her trials and triumphs, she wants the world to know that SMA can put up a good fight, but we can always fight back exceedingly harder. Aside from writing, Alyssa is the community director for an adaptive fashion brand and has founded her own nonprofit called Working On Walking. In her free time, she enjoys discovering new coffee shops within a 50-mile radius of her hometown in Rhode Island.In this season of giving thanks, I keep reflecting on the importance of gratitude. Gratitude greatly impacts our lives, but as someone with SMA, I’ve found the concept easier said than done. At the risk of sounding harsh, on some days I feel as though there is absolutely nothing in…
It is truly the most wonderful time of the year. As you read these words, I hope that you are envisioning me spinning in my wheelchair, wearing an oversized cardigan with leaves falling all around me, and resting a pumpkin spice latte on my footplate. When it comes to autumn,…
Last weekend, my friends and I celebrated my 29th birthday with a brunch that was arguably too classy for us kids. The Champagne endlessly poured, the laughter continuously ensued, and my heart overflowed with feelings of togetherness and gratitude. To complete the first-time experience at this rooftop restaurant, our table…
It has been a bizarre week in the Silva household. Come to think of it, “stressful” may be a better adjective to describe the energy inside our four walls. However, for the sake of accurately portraying the out-of-the-ordinary vibe that’s been circulating among my family members, let’s go with “bizarrely…
“Houston, we’re not in kindergarten anymore,” I said as we looked at our reflections in the mirror. My hair was carefully pinned back just right. My makeup was meticulously applied, and a Burgundy gown gently draped over the footplates of my wheelchair. To my right was my best friend, Amanda,…
“I was once the proud owner of a Jaguar,” is one of my go-to statements whenever I play “two truths and a lie.” If you haven’t heard of the game, it’s typically an icebreaker in which a participant tells two facts and a lie about themselves and the others must…
I always get hit with a wave of back-to-school nostalgia when September creeps up on the calendar. The days of shopping for supplies, picking out a first-day-of-school outfit, and being excited and anxious about the year ahead are a distant memory. In today’s column, I’m going to share one…
Lying on my couch one day in late August, I thought about how the previous weeks had been unexpectedly challenging. I was watching one of my favorite (albeit trashy) reality television shows. I’m not big into TV, so when I watch it for hours something is up. When my mother…
Over the winter, I drank a piping hot cup of ginger tea every night before bed. It was the only remedy that I could confidently say helped to lessen my acid reflux and ease my stomach discomfort. There was only one problem:…
If you are an avid football fan like me, I have great news. We don’t have to endure a Sunday without football for the rest of the year! Typing this makes me giddy, for it is the most wonderful time of the year in my playbook. However, I once would…
