Life, One Cup at a Time
— Alyssa Silva

The other day, I read one of my old columns and thought to myself, “Honey, if you only knew what was to come.” My January column, “Please Stop Glorifying Being Homebound,” was all about how…

My body has never handled stress well. Come to think of it, does anyone respond well to stress? Typically, my body reacts to stress in the form of gastrointestinal issues. This comes as no surprise…

I was scrolling through Instagram recently and found myself growing increasingly bitter about what I saw. People were congregated on beaches, packed like sardines in bars, and carrying on with their lives as if a global pandemic wasn’t happening…

Another day, another opportunity to go through a box of tissues to wipe the drainage coming out of my ears. Is that how the saying goes? That may have come across a bit grotesque, but unfortunately, it is my…

Recently, I learned that zebras are the official symbol of rare diseases. I have a rare disease, and my unique characteristics — such as a zebra’s stripes — serve a distinct purpose in my life. But when I think…

The SMA News Today Forums heard it first, but I’d like to introduce you to my brand new Permobil F3 wheelchair. Her name is Rizzo, and yes, I am one of…

All my life I’ve been freakishly in tune with my body. It sounds like a great quality to have, right? I’ve always been hyperaware of my symptoms and can spot when something in my body feels off. This bodes…

As I write this, I’ve been home for 11 days. Actually, let me rephrase that. I haven’t left this house so much as to go outside to get some fresh air, feel the sunlight gently grace my skin, or…

For the past few weeks, social media feeds have been inundated with posts about the #10yearchallenge. It’s a way for people to showcase transformative photos of themselves. Some are from 2009 and others were taken this year. I…

This time of year is my family’s time to shine — literally. Our house sits on a hill on a narrow street that runs parallel to the main road. Separating these two roads is a small patch of woods,…

I was recently strolling through the best-sellers section of a bookstore and couldn’t remember the last time I had set foot in one. I had just stopped in for the Starbucks coffee. However, while my personal care assistant ran…

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…