Hello. My name is Alyssa Silva, and on Jan. 7, I failed my vertigo test. Again. For the sixth or seventh time. Here’s a little useless fact about me: I’m a terrible test taker. In college, my final grades were saved by papers and projects because I always…
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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“Where are the cartoons?” I jokingly asked my mom while “Sherri,” the daytime talk show, played on a television above me. She chuckled as I scanned the waiting room, taking it all in. There are moments in life when gratitude and fear coexist in the most complicated and overwhelming of…
Last week, I explained why I’m ditching the “new year, new you” mantra. Today, I’m keeping the conversation going by discussing my alternative to New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never been the type of person to set resolutions, and that’s for one simple reason: Life with SMA can…
Since we’re in the season of embracing a new year and all the possibilities that come along with it, I thought it would be a great time to bring this up. For quite some time, I’ve grappled with the idea of “new year, new you,” wondering if it…
The final countdown is on, my friends. It won’t be long before Discovery Channel airs an hour-long special about the girl in the wheelchair who emerges into her dark, isolated den to prepare for a long winter’s nap. Wait, no. That’s a special on bears. But if Discovery…
While catching up with a friend recently, I stumbled upon the next topic for this column. It was simple, really. There was no aha moment or life-changing revelation in the conversations we had, but something stuck with me that day. To many, the significance of the conversation could…
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle that is the holiday season, I sometimes feel an overwhelming wave of nostalgia engulf me. To an extent, I imagine we all feel this way during this time of year. December sings a song of good tidings and dances…
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time trying to come up with a topic for this week’s column, and it has been rather difficult. Actually, writing in general has been a struggle. Brain fog is the real deal, friends. And today’s column is brought to you by lack…
I’d imagine if anyone who knows me were to describe me in one sentence, it would go something like this: “Oh, Alyssa? She’s that writer girl who runs a nonprofit organization for her disease, drinks way too much coffee for her own good, and has an unhealthy obsession…
I almost accidentally drank chunky coffee the other day. How’s that for the introduction of all introductions? I thought about easing you into it slowly in an attempt to avoid making your stomach squirm. I explored how I could go about this storyline in a manner that would…
I came up with the idea for this column at 5:45 a.m., when I’m usually just falling into a deep REM cycle. (Sleeping has never come easily for me.) I wish I could say I was up at that ungodly hour (mornings also never come easily to…
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from readers, friends, and even family members, is how I physically write my columns. The evolution of my ability to write has changed drastically over the years. I will try my best not to bore you with the nitty-gritty details, but…
In May 2017, I became an auntie to a beautiful little boy named Lincoln Anthony. I’ll never forget the day we heard the news. It was a sunny Saturday morning in early fall when my brother’s affectionately named “demon dog” darted into the house wearing a shirt. I…
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