Recently, someone I know commented, “Alyssa doesn’t let her disease define her.” I absolutely understood where they were coming from. After all, I have always been determined. I have always been that girl who thrives in a challenge and loves nothing more than being told she can’t do something. (Spoiler…
Life, One Cup at a Time
— 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.
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“Alyssa, does this look weird?” my mom said as she popped her head and chest out of the bathroom door. We were getting ready to go to a parade in 100 F heat and humidity. Trying to dress in as few layers as possible was definitely a requirement. However, my…
If I had to choose the top three places I frequented prior to the pandemic, they would be the local coffee shop, Target, and Boston Children’s Hospital. Thankfully, I mostly frequented the hospital for appointments and procedures, not hospitalizations. Even so, I have spent a good percentage of my…
I’ll never forget March of last year when the pandemic began. Many of us didn’t realize how serious it was, and we didn’t know what to expect, how to handle it, or what we were in for in the months ahead. My family and I watched the news closely, read…
During the height of the pandemic last year, a steady influx of people often reached out to me to check on my health. It was quite admirable. Friends, family members, and even people I had lost touch with would call or text for status updates, and I truly felt more…
Last week marked 30 years since my diagnosis day. So many emotions resurfaced as I reflected on the past three decades and all that has happened in terms of medical breakthroughs, challenges I’ve overcome, and how my prognosis has changed since I was first diagnosed. Back…
Growing up, I was a fairly well-behaved student. I did my homework. I paid attention during class. I always raised my wand (my way of raising my hand since I couldn’t physically do so) when I had a question, and I respected my teachers. In other words, I never caused…
On April 10, the United States will celebrate Siblings Day, a day to honor and appreciate the bond we share with our siblings. I happen to have the best one around, so I asked if he’d do an interview with me to share his perspective on living with SMA…
These days, I’ve been soaking up all the true crime content I can set my eyes and ears on. Documentaries, podcasts, “Dateline” episodes that I now look forward to every Friday night — I’ve become engrossed in real-life stories about missing persons and murders. More specifically, I have become hooked…
Recently, in the SMA News Today Forums, a handful of members shared that they were embarking on new treatment journeys with both Spinraza (nusinersen) and Evrysdi (risdiplam). Reading such posts makes me feel a level of happiness I don’t often feel for strangers on…
The day after Christmas marked one year since I began this whole self-quarantine thing. And the most unnerving part about it is that I have yet to receive my trophy to commemorate this milestone. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there is logic behind my reasoning. After…
January marks the eighth anniversary of when my blog came to life. I was never much of a writer prior to launching my blog. In fact, when I announced that I’d be blogging in between classes and schoolwork during my final semester of college, my family…
In the midst of decking the halls and savoring all that’s merry and bright, December also serves as a season of reflection for me. It’s my chance to look back on the last year and take inventory of all the things I experienced and learned, determine…
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