West Georgia Woman Magazine June 2020

Woman

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June 2020

West Georgia

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Hope for the Future

Local Nurses Share Their Pandemic Experience

Uncovering the Fear of Masks 1

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Uncovering the fear of masks.

Page 29 Model: Maggie Kilgore Photo by Zachary Dailey

What’s inside ...

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Hope for the Future

33

Travel Safely During Covid-19

20

Holding on to Hope and One Another in a Wounded World

39

Healthcare Workers See Smiles in Small Gifts

29

Uncovering the Fear of Masks

41

Sheroes She roes

In Every Issue:

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Daily Fare

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Local Happenings

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Womentality

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Kids Korner

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Woman

Complimentary

June 2020

West Georgia

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Hope for the Future

Local Nurses Share Their Pandemic Experience

Uncovering the Fear of Masks 1

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Villa Rica Georgia

We Are Resilient - We are a strong community and will recover from difficult times.

We are Resourceful - We find ways to overcome hardships as a community.

We are Refocused - We will continue to promote and support our businesses while focusing on the positives in our community!

We Are VR!

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Hope for the Future There has been so much anxiety, sadness, fear and despair surrounding the coronavirus, and for good reason – these are certainly frightening times we are experiencing. For this issue, I wanted to focus on something a little different than what we've been reading about lately: hope and positivity. And what could be better than reading stories about the greatest miracle of all – the birth of a child. I hope you enjoy reading these beautiful birth stories. I think we could all use a little joy and happiness right now.

Very special thanks to Meri Whitlock-Wade, Kelly Meigs and Tony Montcalm from the Tanner Health System marketing department for helping us coordinate our photo shoots and interviews of the moms and nurses in this issue.

More thanks go out to Katie Kilgore for allowing us to photograph her precious daughter, Maggie, for our cover and our article on masks this month. Maggie is a natural born model!

She had just turned 3 years old a month prior to the photo shoot and she rocked it! Thank you Maggie for being so awesome.

In This Issue We feature three local moms this month who gave birth in the middle of a global pandemic. Read their remarkable stories of strength, hope and perseverence on page 10.

Last month, I asked my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Fred Richards, if he would write an article about the power of hope to Photo by Zachary Dailey include in this issue. He graciously agreed, and I am so thankful.

On page 20 he shares with us how to hold on to hope and one another in a wounded world. Fred is the wisest man I know and he is like a father to me. Happy Father's Day, Fred. Thank you for everything you and Anne have done for me and my family. I love you both, and I am so grateful to be a part of your lives.

Many people are wearing masks or face coverings now because of CDC recommendations, but it can be hard for children to understand why this is necessary. Uncover the fear of masks on page 29.

Are you planning on traveling soon? On page 33, Sandra Bolan tells us how we can travel a little more safely during COVID-19.

When the coronavirus swept our nation, Misty Conerly wanted to do something for healthcare workers.

She started a Facebook page, "Gifts for Grins for Healthcare Workers." In just a few months, the page has over 3,100 followers that span across 27 states, with more joining each day. Learn how Misty's page is helping put smiles on faces of healthcare workers on page 39.

We had the privilege of interviewing two nurses who have been directly involved in caring for COVID-19 patients. Hope Davenport (I love that her name is Hope) and Leigh Ann Carter have been working on the front lines since the beginning. On page 41, read about their experience and how these she sheroes roes are fighting the coronavirus here at home.

We have a beautiful new website! Visit us online at www.westgeorgiawoman.com to get the free digital issue of West Georgia Woman sent directly to your inbox each month. And to all the dads out there, I hope you have a very happy Father's Day. See you next month,

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Publisher

Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference.

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West Georgia Woman is a voice for and about the women who live and work in West Georgia.

Our mission is to engage, inspire, and cultivate a cohesive community for all women in West Georgia by sharing our hopes, our dreams and our lives.

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Volume 5 • Issue 8 June 2020

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West Georgia Woman is a monthly publication of Angel Media, LLC. All contents of this issue are copyright 2019. West Georgia Woman magazine, its logo and “Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference.” are trademarks of Angel Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

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West Georgia

This publication is dedicated in loving memory of Tristan Alexander Brooks May 15, 1993 – September 17, 2015

Angela Dailey angela@westgeorgiawoman.com

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Shala Hainer shala@westgeorgiawoman.com

Photographer for cover Zachary Dailey

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Zachary@westgeorgiawoman.com Angela Brooks Dailey, owner and publisher of West Georgia Woman magazine, has lived in West Georgia most of her life and has a deep love and appreciation for the area.

She received her B.B.A in management from The University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., and is a Civil and Domestic Relations mediator and arbitrator registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. She lives in Carrollton, and has two wonderful children, Zachary and Sydney Dailey.

Angela enjoys reading, spending time with her children and extended family and loves to watch Sydney play soccer.

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Hope for the

Future

By Angela Dailey Photo: Dina Davis, with her son, Ezra. Ezra was born 15 weeks premature on March 18.

Photo by Tanner Health System.

Article 10 photos by Zachary Dailey.

Three Local Mothers Share Their Experience After Giving Birth During the Pandemic

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D

ina Davis wasn't supposed to be in the hospital that week in March when the deadly coronavirus began sweeping across our nation. Her baby boy, Ezra Matthew, wasn't due until June 26 – another 15 weeks. But when Dina was only 25 weeks pregnant, Ezra had other plans.

She was terrified, and for good reason.

In September 2018, when she was only 20 weeks pregnant, her daughter passed away in utero. "I went to an ultrasound appointment, and she was measuring a little small," she shares. "At the next appointment, the ultrasound showed no heartbeat.

It was just devastating." She and her husband, Matt, named their baby girl, Mia Nour Davis. "Nour means 'light' in Arabic," she says. "I'm half Egyptian, so it just felt right."

Dina's father was a soldier in the Egyptian Army, and was stationed at Fort McClellan, a former U.S. Army post in Anniston, Ala., when he met Dina's mother. "They had a really good engineering program in Anniston and were training these Egyptian officers in engineering," Dina explains.

The U.S. and Egypt share a strong partnership based on mutual interest in Middle East peace and stability, economic opportunity and regional security, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Her parents were married and moved to Egypt

where Dina was born. They moved back to the states when she was only 6 weeks old. Dina grew up in Woodland, Ala., with her mother, stepfather and brothers. She now lives in Temple, Ga., with Matt and his two daughters, Delilah, 14, and Isabelle, who will be 13 this month. Ezra, who is currently in Tanner Health System's NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), is scheduled to come home this month – closer to his original due date.

An Unexpected Delivery Dina was considered high-risk due to the loss of Mia, and she was seeing a doctor who specialized in high-risk pregnancies. At a couple of her ultrasound appointments, Ezra had been measuring a little small, which was worrisome. When she went in on March 11 for a routine ultrasound, her doctor told her to go straight to the hospital.

She was only 24 weeks pregnant.

"I was scared to death," she relates. "I'm a teacher, and I left my classroom a little early that day.

I had someone come in to take care of my kids so I could leave to go to the appointment. I have not been back to my classroom since."

Once she was in the hospital, she was able to meet regularly with her obstetrician, Dr. Shannon

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Couvreur and her baby's neonatologist, Dr. Francisco Velez. Ultrasounds were done every day.

"Dr. Velez was so amazing," she shares. "He really calmed me down. I was so afraid of the worst – of losing my baby because I lost Mia. He told me, 'I know you have had the worst experience you could possibly have – you've lost your baby. But, I need you to go into this positively and not think about the fact that you might lose him. We want to think about the quality of life we are going to give to him – that he is going to thrive.' He really helped me reframe my thinking and from that moment on, it was not so much, 'I'm going to lose Ezra, I'm going to lose him,' it was, 'Ok, I need to stay positive, stay good, stay pregnant as long as possible.' I had to get him the shots and the steroids he needed to develop his lungs so that he could have a chance to fight."

Dina jokes that she had planned to be a resident of Tanner hospital until she was 35 weeks pregnant, but, only one week later after one of her daily ultrasounds, Dr. Couvreur had some disconcerting news. She told Dina staying pregnant another few days could be life-threatening for Ezra.

Although she didn't have a birthing plan nailed down at the time, Dina, like any new expectant mother, thought that her mom, Matt's parents and his daughters would be allowed inside the hospital to wait on Ezra's arrival. But that was not to be, thanks to COVID-19.

"My mom really wanted to see me before I went in to have the C-section, so she had to tag out with my husband. She stayed with me for about 20 to 30 minutes and cried. I just felt so bad for her. Then she tagged Matt back in and we went on with the C-section." On Wednesday, March 18 at 5:40 p.m. little Ezra was brought into the world. Although he weighed only 1 pound, 8 ounces, he was doing even better than anyone had expected.

"He came out doing exactly what he should have at 25 weeks," she says. "and he's doing as well as we can possibly hope for. Since he was born, we've been so lucky. A lot of 25-weekers have lots of issues right out of the gate, but we haven't experienced any of that. It took a long time to get his weight back up after he dropped to 1 pound, 4 ounces, but since we've started incorporating skin-to-skin contact, he has just thrived. He was less than 2 pounds when I started holding him, and I've been holding him for about two weeks now. Since I've been holding him, he has gained more than an ounce a day. He is now 3 pounds, 2 ounces."

Dina was discharged three days after the birth, and remembers her shock when she left the hospital.

"It was a ghost town," she recalls. "When I checked

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into Tanner on March 11, everything was normal.

But when I left the hospital I thought, 'What has happened to this town?' I knew things were going down on the outside because the first few days I was in the hospital, we could have visitors as normal.

Then it became less and less. Then it was only your spouse or significant other."

Even something as simple as getting food for Matt became more difficult as time went on. Getting in and out of the hospital was much harder than it had been just a few days before. "We were always afraid they would tell him, 'No, you can't come back in,' so, we stopped ordering takeout," she says.

Life in the NICU After several weeks, Delilah and Isabelle still have not met their baby brother in person. They've seen him through FaceTime and photos, but Dina says it's not the same as physically being there with him.

Before the pandemic, both parents could visit their baby in the NICU at the same time, and up to four other people could be placed on a list as visitors, but that isn't possible now. Only the parents are allowed to visit, separately.

"The first time I was able to hold Ezra, I asked them if they would allow Matt in there just once so

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we could experience holding him for the first time together," she shares. "They said 'Yes,' and that was awesome. They are really great. Now, when I visit Ezra, Matt sits in the hospital parking lot and I FaceTime him while I'm inside. Technology definitely helps."

Dina is hoping by the time Ezra is released that things will be somewhat back to normal, but she still plans on taking precautions to protect her son.

"This might sound crazy, but I'm going to be checking temperatures of visitors," she says. "It's hard enough having a preemie, but having one during the coronavirus is a different story altogether.

Our family understands and they aren't offended.

They understand we're just trying to protect him."

Jamequa and Cohen Stallworth Jamequa Stallworth, MS, CCC-SLP, a medical speech-language pathologist for the elderly, is considered an essential worker. So, when Gov. Kemp issued a state-wide shelter in place order in April, she continued the daily commute to her work at a nursing facility in Buchanan, Ga., in spite of being nine months pregnant.

On Monday, April 6, she began to have contractions. After three days and two false alarm labor and delivery visits, she told her supervisor she wouldn't be coming in on Thursday. "I told my boss the baby was definitely coming soon," she laughs.

"I worked up through that Wednesday and we had Cohen on Friday." April 10 also happened to be Good Friday. "It was a good Friday to have a baby," she laughs.

Because of the coronavirus, Jamequa had already screened many of the speech-language pathologists who would possibly take her place while she was on maternity leave. "They had to fly someone in to come and replace me," she explains. "This new person was coming, and there were a lot of people at our facility who were concerned because these people were coming from places that had high levels of COVID-19, hotspots such as California and Florida. But, it all ended up working out fine."

Her husband, Willie, is also an essential worker.

He works for UPS as a package handler. In addition to being a speech-language pathologist, Jamequa is a former doctorate student. Despite being one dissertation away from candidacy, she has decided to put that on hold for a little later in her journey.

They live in Villa Rica, Ga., and they have three other boys besides baby Cohen Asher; Ethan Alec, 2, Liam Austin, 6, and Jamarr “Jay" Anthony, 15.

Easing Her Fears Jamequa had many fears surrounding her upcoming labor and delivery. She was afraid she or Willie might catch the coronavirus while at the hospital, so she did everything within her power to be proactive. "I was very, very afraid," she shares. "I wasn't sure what was going on with the coronavirus.

I made sure we had masks, and all the bags and everything we brought in I put in plastic wrapped containers."

When they arrived at Tanner hospital in the early morning hours on Friday, April 10, her fears subsided considerably. "There wasn't a lot of traffic, there wasn't a lot of people there, the staff was still practicing social distancing and they were still wearing masks," she says. "They were making sure we were safe when we came in there. Just seeing the process they went through to make sure we were safe showed us that they weren't letting just anyone come in. They were making sure our temperatures were good, and all of the precautions the doctors

Jamequa and Cohen Asher Stallworth.

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What to Expect When You're Expecting During Covid-19 Megan Grilliot, MD, obstetrics & gynecology specialist with Tanner Healthcare for Women answers some common questions.

1. Are pregnant women more at risk for contracting COVID-19 than the general population? Currently, there is no evidence that pregnant women are at greater risk for contracting COVID-19 or becoming severely ill from the disease. There is, however, much that is still unknown about this illness. With many respiratory illnesses, most commonly with the influenza virus (flu), being pregnant does put women at much greater risk of becoming severely ill. With this particular respiratory illness, there is not yet evidence of that. But again, we are still relatively early on learning about the COVID-19 virus.

2. What are prenatal appointments like now?

Are you encouraging Telehealth visits or inperson visits? We have continued to offer robust, comprehensive prenatal care. Receiving prenatal care is considered an urgent need. We have tried to use those in-person visits as efficiently as possible. For example, in the past you may have had bloodwork during one visit and an ultrasound at another visit. We're trying to consolidate that care as much as we can.

3. Should a pregnant woman stay at home and isolate herself? The recommendation right now from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and from our practice is that pregnant women should be following social distancing practices – and that includes only being out in public for urgent needs. If that urgent need arises, including when they come in for their prenatal visits or care at the hospital, we are advising that a facial mask be worn, frequent hand washing be performed and that they not touch their faces. This is what is being recommended for everyone, but mothers-to-be should be especially careful.

4. Can the coronavirus be passed from mother to child in utero? Can it be passed from mother to child through breastmilk? Currently, there is no evidence of that. There have been several cases where there has been concern for either transmission from mother to baby in utero (prior to birth) or for potential transmission during the birthing process.

But so far, none of those cases – even where there was concern – have been confirmed. In cases where newborns have tested positive shortly after birth, so far, they have all been linked to exposure to respiratory droplets after birth. Also, evaluation of breast milk has not shown instances of live virus in the milk, but this testing is also limited so far.

5. What happens when it’s time to go to the hospital for the birth? Tanner is following CDC, ACOG and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines to ensure the highest safety for our mothers and newborns. When women come in to the hospital, one of the first things she will notice is that everyone she meets will be in a higher level of personal protective equipment (PPE). We will all have on some sort of eye protection and masks. Infection prevention is something we do every day, for

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every patient – but now we are ramping up those standards even higher.

Can the baby’s father or other support person be in the delivery room? What about other relatives or friends? We recognize that having a support person with you through the birth of your child is very important. We want someone there with our mothers when these new lives come into world. For the safety of our moms, their babies, our staff and our community, we are limiting visitors to just one person to reduce the risk of exposure. In addition, everyone who comes into the hospital is screened, and we ask that patients and visitors bring a face mask or one will be provided for use during the patient’s stay.

After the baby is born, can loved ones visit?

We are only allowing one visitor (the same person) during the entire birthing process. Use of electronic communication, such as FaceTime, is encouraged to help facilitate the circle of support.

What should a pregnant woman do if she begins exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus? She should call her obstetrician immediately to share what symptoms she is experiencing so we can advise her about an evaluation, testing and selfquarantining to limit exposure to her loved ones and other members of the community. Most obstetricians are not performing COVID-19 testing at their offices, so she should call first before coming to the office.

What precautions should parents take after bringing their baby home from the hospital?

This is an especially challenging time for new mothers. Typically, when you bring a new baby home, you want all the support around you that you can get; you want grandparents there and other close family members. They are supporting you in caring for this new life. But at this time, especially with everything that is unknown and starting to become of concern – especially with children – we ask that that families consider limiting that physical exposure. In our community and across the country, we are seeing a concerning increase in postpartum depression because these moms do not have the support around them that they usually would. These moms are going home from the hospital and they are often alone.

It is very hard to know how to balance physical health in light of COVID-19 with the emotional and mental toll that not having others around is taking. It is so important to try to connect safely as much as you can. For example, reaching out through phone calls, FaceTime and Skype can help you stay close with friends and loved ones.

We are fortunate to have tremendous mental health resources within Tanner Health System, so we want our moms to speak up. If a new mother is struggling, she should always feel free to reach out to us, your obstetrician, for help. We want to continue to be there for you.

Cohen Asher Stallworth was born on April 10.

and nurses took just gave me closure. The room was clean and prepared for us. Everything seemed fine."

Far From Home Jamequa is originally from Mobile, Ala. Her family, including her mother, still lives there. She had expectations of family members coming to help with the baby and her mom being there at the hospital during the birth. Sadly, because of COVID-19, her mom was not able to be there.

"My family is over 300 miles away," she says.

"They were expecting to come here to help with the baby and be there in the waiting room. My mom was going to come and help me. I didn't get any of that because of the coronavirus. She wasn't able to come because she was afraid she may be asymptomatic and that she could pass it on to the baby."

Once the coronavirus hit, Jamequa and Willie had to come up with an alternate plan for the labor and delivery. With three other children, they had to prepare for Willie to be there during the birth, but also for him to go back home and care for the other children afterward.

"It ended up working out perfectly," she says.

"My oldest son is 15, so he was able to take care of the other boys. Luckily, I went into labor early in the

morning while they were all sleeping. We had Cohen at 8:15 that morning. We had already discussed this with my son and had a plan. He's very responsible.

He is able to cook, change diapers, whatever we need him to do. My husband was able to hang out with us for a couple of hours after the birth and then go home, but they were all fine. If we didn't have Jay, I don't know what we would have done."

The morning of Cohen's birth, Jamequa FaceTime'd her mother and gave her the surprise of her life. "It was a shocker to my mom because the 10th wasn't the actual planned due date," she shares. "I flashed the camera on the baby's face, and she just burst completely into tears. It was a nice surprise for her to be able to see her grandson."

After they brought Cohen home, they did not allow family members to visit. She says her family was very understanding and just wanted to make sure Cohen and the other boys were safe. "They wouldn't be able to bear it if they were to give them anything, so they were fine with it," she explains.

In spite of all of the hoarding of baby wipes, diapers and formula during the pandemic, Jamequa says she hasn't been affected. "For whatever reason, I guess it was divine intervention, we had our shower early in February," she shares. "There wasn't a coronvirus threat then. We went home to Mobile for the shower, and we actually had all of the diapers and wipes that we needed for the baby, so everything was fine." She is also nursing Cohen, so formula has not been needed.

She says the birthing process overall and the labor and delivery at the hospital was fine, but she is disappointed that her family – especially her mom – couldn't be there with her after Cohen's birth.

"I wouldn't say it was as positive an experience as it could have been," she shares. "I would have loved it better if my family could have been there, if my mom could have been there to try to help me out some. But, I think, even with us not being able to have many visitors, I was able to really bond with Cohen and get into my groove of being a new mom without the chaos. That was a special time for us."

Misty and Wilder McIntyre As a certified marriage therapist and online relationship coach, Misty McIntyre, LMFT, is accustomed to working with couples who are dealing with challenging situations. But in late March and early April, she and her husband, Ty, experienced several challenges of their own before giving birth to their son, Wilder, during the state-

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wide shelter in place order.

"We were worried prior to the birth that something would happen, that one of us would get it," she explains. "We worried either I would have it or my husband would have it and he wouldn't be able to come with me during the delivery."

There was also concern about being in a hospital setting and being exposed to the coronavirus.

"You just hear that it's like a war zone inside of there," she says. "We were worried about getting something and taking it back home, and about who we would leave our other son, Oakley, with while we were there."

Childcare was a huge concern. Misty's mom was originally the one who would care for Oakley, but there was a problem. Her mom has custody of Misty's young nephews, and one became sick just a few weeks before the induction. Her little nephew had the typical cornonavirus symptoms: fever and a terrible cough. "That was an issue because if he was positive, then my mom wasn't going to be an option for childcare," Misty says.

Backup childcare for Oakley would be Ty's

mother, but Misty's in-laws were facing their own challenges. Two weeks prior to Misty's induction, her father-in-law had to go to the ER for a blood clot. Then he was required to followup with a doctor at Kennestone Hospital. Both trips had potentially exposed him to the coronavirus.

"That was a big decision, trying to figure out the safest thing for Oakley," Misty relates. "I was urging my mom to go get my nephew tested. We were just super hypervigilant about who to leave him with and what was going to be the best course of action."

Misty's nephew was tested for COVID-19. It took seven or eight days to get the results back, which they received one week before she was scheduled to be induced. "Thankfully, my nephew tested negative," she says. Oakley was able to stay with Misty's mom during the birth.

A Safe Haven Before she went in to have Wilder, Misty began to ask questions about safety protocols inside the hospital. "I asked my doctor, 'What are we going to do? What's the plan?'" she says.

Her doctor assured her that they weren't letting anyone in labor and delivery who didn't need to be there. Cafeteria staff, other non-essential workers and visitors were not allowed.

"Once I heard from the doctors and several nurses that they pretty much had it on lockdown on the maternity ward, that eased my mind a good bit," she shares. "When we were there, our own nurses were bringing our food – it wasn't anyone from the cafeteria – they were really keeping it tight."

The day she was scheduled to be induced, Misty and Ty went in through the ER where they were both screened and had their temperatures taken. Then, a nurse came down and escorted them to labor and delivery. Once there, they were screened again.

"Oddly enough, all of my anxiety about it went out the window once I was there. Which is totally the opposite of what I thought would happen," she laughs. "It was really thorough. I never saw a nose or a set of lips the whole time. I think you recognize how much you miss seeing facial expressions and smiles, but at the same time the staff did a really good job of being super warm and compassionate."

The First 48

Misty and Wilder McIntyre.

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Misty says the birth itself was pretty smooth sailing, and she gives praises to the Tanner doctors and nursing staff. However, she was

disappointed that she had to cancel the birth photographer and videographer she had scheduled. She really wanted Oakley to be there for Wilder's "Fresh 48 photos," (A photography session typically done within 48 hours of baby's birth).

"We wanted him to see his brother and meet him, and obviously we wanted family there, but that couldn't happen," she shares. "So that threw a wrench in the gears a bit."

Another unexpected development happened just one hour after the delivery: Wilder was in respiratory distress and had to be transferred to the NICU. This added a new level of concern, not only because Wilder Ty McIntyre was born on April 10. they would be in the hospital longer, but and the blessings. We were induced on my mom's also about what might happen once they brought birthday, he was born on Good Friday, we came him home. "We went in on Thursday and left on home on Easter Sunday and even in the midst of a Sunday, so it was longer than we anticipated," she pandemic, we were really able to focus on adjusting says. "We were nervous because at the time we to being a family of four." thought anybody with respiratory issues, asthma or a compromised immune system was more at risk. We Hope for the Future wondered, 'What happens when we get home and what if he gets it?'"

“I’ve thought about what I’ll tell Ezra a lot," Dina says. "The day that I left my classroom to go to Coming Home that doctor’s appointment if you would have told me, ‘Hey, you’re going to go to the hospital, and Wilder's grandparents waited a few weeks before not only that, there is going to be a world-wide they were able to hold him and, even then, they pandemic,’ I wouldn’t have believed it. I didn’t had to sanitize, change their clothes and wear a know that life could just shut down like that. It was mask. "The grandmothers were having a hard time just outside of anything I’ve ever experienced or not giving the kisses," she shares. "That part was anything that I could have imagined. really hard because you want to share the baby. He "So, I think that I would tell Ezra that his life, his doesn't even look like a newborn anymore because birth story and everything about him is extremely those days are so fleeting. They missed out on that." unique, coming 14 weeks early and coming smack Misty and Ty live in Ranburne with their two dab in the middle of a pandemic. I want him to know boys and two Labrador retrievers, Axl and Addi. Ty that he truly is very special." works with his dad and his brother in their logging "If I could tell Cohen about the time when he business. In addition to being a marriage therapist was born, I would tell him, 'You were born during a and relationship coach, Misty is completing her sex pandemic, but you were just that special,'" shares therapy certification.

Jamequa.

She says she's had two really great pregnancies, "I think I will tell Wilder that he was born at the and they were both special in their own way. "I perfect time, exactly as it should have been and that cherish each one and I don't know that I would we were all ok," Misty shares. "We had trust and change a whole lot – would I have a baby outside of faith in a bigger plan than what we had. And it all the coronavirus?" she laughs. "Yes, that would be worked out beautifully and seamlessly." preferred, but they also made it a really awesome Although these mothers' birth stories are all experience and a good story to tell one day. unique, one common thread is that even in the midst "I think one of the important things that we will of a pandemic, there is still much to be thankful for – focus on is that even though it was a time of a lot and there is always hope for the future. WGW of stress and high anxiety, we were very intentional Special thanks to Tanner Health System marketing department about trying to focus on the good, the positives for assisting with coordinating our photo shoots and interviews.

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Holding on to Hope and One Another in a Wounded World By20 Fred Richards-Daishi, Ph.D.

H

ere's the scene. It is 1916. The German army is launching a gas attack against the Russian defenses. A moving wall of yellow fog envelopes the Russian troops. The German infantry advances, breaks through the barbed wire barriers and then disappears.

The winds shift and both armies are engulfed in the deadly cloud. Birds drop from the sky. Flowers, trees, grass, bees turn black, decompose. German soldiers, many naked, crazed, and blind, flee the carnage, carrying Russian soldiers to safety. Imagine dying soldiers, some barely older than boys, lying together in trenches, desperately clinging to one another. Germans and Russians, boys and men at war, reaching out in the dark, wanting to be held as they die.

I write this sitting in my small study at home, sheltering in place, on my desk a mask and gloves I will wear when I venture outside. The soul-wrenching account of men at war is found in Lazarus by AndrĂŠ Malraux, written as he struggled with a serious illness and the specter of his own death.

I have, for many years, sat quietly, closed my eyes, and meditated on my own decline and death, and the deaths of those I love. Realistically, it's a kind of preparation, a way of rehearsing for the inevitable

losses and finalities that are part of living. I want to do as well as I can when I say goodbye, to my life and to others. The death meditation I do has, it appears, helped me to prepare for the pandemic now moving across the world.

Some believe my practice of death meditation is morbid, but it is not. When I open my eyes, I'm struck by how beautiful the world is, despite all the heartbreak, loss, cruelty, violence and despair that is part of the human condition. An object previously unnoticed seems to shine. I know how amazing it is to be alive. I want to jump up and tell others I love them, maybe even cry while saying it. I feel the urge to hug a lot of people, even people I barely know, or say to them something crazy like: "Do you realize we're all going to die? Celebrate being here now.

Don't wallow in your misery. Take hold of those you love and let them know how much you love them, how glad you are they're in the world." I want to ask, with the words of Mary Oliver: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life?"

Some of the people I encounter in the dark times may understandably experience my joy as naĂŻve and even inappropriate. They may not realize my enthusiasm is actually a self-controlled version

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“

of what I feel. I have had passing moments when I felt my heart was big enough to take in the suffering of the world and pour out love in return.

Novelist and poet Carolyn Houghton, writes that "we skate on hot blades over thin ice."

Sometimes the ice breaks and we fall through; we confront the pain and suffering that is often concealed underneath the surface of everyday life. Therapist and author Mark Epstein wants to free us to live so he keeps reminding us it is necessary to face the trauma that is simply a fact of life. Trauma "does not go away. It continues to reassert itself as life unfolds." Right now, this revelation is probably not "breaking news" for any of us.

Epstein further tells us that traumatic events do not have to destroy us. They can help us to discover resilience and strength we did not know we had.

They can awaken in us, while we are still here, the realization that life calls us to choose to be among the truly alive rather than the walking dead. Facing the trauma of everyday life, particularly when living in the midst of a pandemic, we can discover more deeply who we are, what truly matters, what we value the most.

Joan Halifax in her book, The Fruitful Darkness, reminds us that "our personal suffering is also the world's suffering." The truth is this: we are not really alone in the trenches of life. Everyone who suffers is here with us. We are not just an "I." "I" and "You" are actually a "We." Sharing our suffering, Halifax writes, brings forth "the fruit of compassion, the fruit of joy." And yes, the fruit of hope as well. She sees catastrophic events as potentially "sacred" or "holy failures," capable of helping us to see that we are a part of everyone, everything. In the trenches of life, despair can morph into hope when we reach out and hold on to one another while we are still here, still alive! In Joy, Inspiration, and Hope, author Verena Kast writes: we are capable of being creatures of joy and not defeated victims living "our lives in tragic resignation" during the darkest times.

Healthy, responsible joy gives birth to hope and hope allows "us to find shelter in life," and trust "in the future in spite of knowing better." To be a bringer of hope is to "turn toward a light that does not yet exist, though we have the impression that it must."

One of my favorite poems is "A Ritual to Read to One Another"

by William Stafford. In this circus we call life, it is crucial we hold on to one another so we don't lose our place in the human community. The poem depicts a chain of circus elephants parading through town. Each elephant is holding another elephant's tail because "if one wanders, the circus won't reach the park." In many ways, the park represents where we all want to go to be. It's the place where we get to play and be happy, connect and communicate, and be with and for one another. Stafford cautions us to slow down, wake up, pay attention and see what's happening. He tells us to hold on to one another so our "mutual life" is not "lost in the dark" because he warns: "[t]he darkness around us is deep." His poem is one to read to each other as we huddle together in the trenches of the global pandemic.

I am painfully aware of the unimaginable suffering persons are experiencing around the world and in my own community. My intention is not to minimize this suffering in any way. I also consider

When I open my eyes, I'm struck by how beautiful the world is, despite all the heartbreak, loss, cruelty, violence and despair that is part of the human condition. An object previously unnoticed seems to shine. I know how amazing it is to be alive. I want to jump up and tell others I love them, maybe even cry while saying it.

“

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the possibility that some persons may be troubled or offended by my encouraging them to earnestly try to bring joy and hope to others overwhelmed by death, loss, heartbreak and fear. Theologian Jurgen Moltmann in The Theology of Play, also struggles with how it is possible to laugh, be joyful and rejoice when all of us, some more than others, are weighted down with worry and depression, when so many are traumatized and tortured by the dark state of the world. "Is it right," he asks, "to laugh, to play, and to dance without at the same time crying out and working for those who perish on the shadowy side of life? ... How can we laugh and rejoice when there are still so many tears to be wiped away and when new tears are being added every day?" Is it really compassionate and life-affirming to say yes to life in the presence of all this suffering, when the life we took for granted has disappeared and the future is uncertain and unknown?

In my best moments, I answer the latter question with a heartfelt YES. I shout, even when I myself am sad and fearful, amor fati! (love one's fate), strive and affirm the gift of life, even in, perhaps especially in, the dark times that can wound us the most. All the spiritual traditions I'm acquainted with proclaim it is possible to live life without being dominated by the fear that just comes with being human. They tell me we can become persons capable of bringing authentic hope to even what appear to be hopeless times. We can bring joy and hope in times of despair. They teach that practicing justice, again and again, is a way to become a just person. Practicing kindness, again and again, is how we become kind persons. In the words of psychologist and author, I. David Welch: "Every time we act we increase the chances of doing the same thing again ... We are as likely to act ourselves into a new way of thinking as to think ourselves into a new way of acting."

Every one of us, no matter who we are, can choose to make it our ultimate concern to strive to do no harm, to be a healing, hopeful presence in our own unique, imperfect way. I say imperfect, because those of us who seek to heal ourselves and others, are also the wounded. Those of us who seek to be whole are broken as well.

My wife, Anne, and I have a friend who, with an IQ of 52, is described as intellectually challenged.

When asked what he could do at work to make customers feel appreciated, he answered: "Smile, wish them a nice day, ask them how they are doing or feeling, be nice, and ask them if they need help."

We are, of course, all challenged in one way or another. I continue to believe that most people,

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perhaps close to everyone, have the capacity to learn and know the difference between being kind and unkind, between harming others or seeking to do them no harm.

We don't need more advice, more information to know what to do and be in order to hold on to hope and one another. To live, for ourselves and others, a more meaningful, fulfilling life we must earnestly strive to bring what offerings of hope, love and joy we can, for "[t]he darkness around us is deep."

WGW Fred Richards-Daishi, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, personal and professional coach, author, artist, published poet, recipient of the Counselor of the Year Award (1999) from the Licensed Professional Counselor Association of Georgia and the Club Herald (since 1978) of the Carrollton Kiwanis Club.

He lives in Carrollton with his wife, Dr. Anne C. Richards, Professor Emerita, University of West Georgia.

23

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Daily Fare With

e s o R f e Ch

Photos by Zachary Dailey

26

Chef Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn and their son, Sebastian.

She graduated from West Georgia Technical College in 2013 with a degree in Culinary Arts.

After graduation, she began her career as a chef at the Carrollton Kroger Marketplace where she works in the bistro.

”This salmon crostini is perfect for a summer picnic or as an appetizer at a BBQ. ”

Smoked Salmon Crostini Ingredients

Preparation

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2inch slices

Toast bread slices in a toaster oven or regular oven at 400° F for about 5 minutes or until lightly crispy.

Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese over each slice. Top with about an ounce of smoked salmon.

Garnish with red onion, capers, fresh dill and a small lemon wedge slice.

Serves 6 to 8.

1/2 pound smoked salmon

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese 1 small red onion, sliced thin 1 lemon, sliced thin

1 tablespoon capers 1 sprig fresh dill

27

Antipasto Skewers

Ingredients 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 cup large black or green olives, drained 8 ounces fresh mozzarella – cherry size 8 ounces pepperoni slices 4 ounces marinated artichoke hearts 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 1/4 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing Wooden skewers

Preparation ”Basil leaves can be substituted

for spinach leaves if desired.”

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Fold pepperoni slices into fourths.

Fold spinach leaves in half.

Thread all of the ingredients onto wooden skewers however you desire.

Drizzle finished skewers with Italian dressing.

Serves 4 to 6. WGW

Uncovering the Fear of Masks

By Sandra Bolan

By Sandra Bolan Model: Maggie Kilgore Photos by Zachary Dailey

N

ormal: conforming to a standard, usual, typical or expected. – Oxford Dictionary.

To say the last four months have been anything but normal would be one of the greatest understatements of all time.

We have gone from having the unabashed freedom to go wherever we want, whenever we want, however we want, to sheltering in place.

Everything that was normal – going out to dinner and a movie; having fully stocked shelves at the grocery store; going to or watching in-person live sporting events; birthday parties and graduation ceremonies – have all been replaced with another version of itself – empty store shelves, working at home, no sports and Zoom celebrations.

This is the new normal.

But as the country starts to come out of its quarantine, there is yet another version of normal we must get used to – wearing masks.

This is one new norm that appears likely to stick around for an indeterminate amount of time.

“The purpose of people wearing masks in public right now is to protect the community. Since so many people who have COVID-19 don’t have symptoms, wearing masks can help reduce the possibility that someone with no symptoms could

transmit the disease to others,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

For some kids, seeing nurses and doctors on television wearing masks helps them think of these medical professionals as superheroes, like Batman and Spiderman, and not like the scary face-covered people who stick them with needles and make their arm hurt when they go to the doctor’s office.

But for other children, in particular, the incredibly young ones, masks are disconcerting and can make them extremely uncomfortable, even frightened.

“Masks hide part of a person’s face. Young children rely on faces. From the time they are babies, young children look at faces for signals they need to feel safe,” according to KidsHealth.org.

“When faces are partly hidden by masks, kids can’t see the friendly smile or familiar look that usually puts them at ease.”

Parents need to explain, in age appropriate language, but not overshare details, why everyone needs to wear a mask.

“Even the humblest of masks can be scary – scary in themselves and scary as reminders of the threat of infection and the generally frightening times through which we are living,” according to a New York Times’ article written by pediatrician Perri Klass.

29

“I think it’s important to explain to kids that people are wearing masks as a way to help others – otherwise they assume it’s because they’re dangerous,” according to Dr. Harold Koplewicz, president of the Child Mind Institute.

One way to help children get used to seeing partially covered faces is for everyone at home to wear masks.

Kids can also put masks on their stuffed animals, action figures and dolls. Another way to get children to like wearing masks is to have the kids decorate them.

“This might help them feel a sense of ownership and control over the situation. A personal touch can help make it more of a normal part of their routine and make it more likely they’ll want to wear their mask,” according to KidsHealth.org.

How Young is Too Young?

Children under the age of 2 years should not wear a mask or face covering due to the risk of suffocation, according to the CDC. A child should also not wear a mask if she has difficulty breathing with the face covering on or has a severe cognitive or respiratory impairment.

How to Wear a Mask Children and adults need to wear their masks properly for them to be effective.

• They should fit securely over the nose and mouth and stretch from before the ear to the other side.

• Masks should be secured with ties or ear loops.

• They need to include multiple layers of fabric.

• Masks must allow for breathing without restriction.

• The masks should be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to its shape.

• Wash your hands before putting the mask on and immediately upon removing it from your face.

• Do not touch the mask while wearing it.

• Wash the mask after each time you wear it.

Not only will the mask be dirty from saliva, but it will also likely contain other germs and contaminants. Wash it in the washing machine with hot water and dry completely on medium or high heat.​WGW

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THE GREAT ARTVENTURE 2020 Summer Camps

find details & register at CARROLLTONARTS.COM

June Virtual Camps Don’t let staying at home keep your kids from being creative.

This June, we are bringing The Great Artventure straight to your living room! Our virtual camps will engage and inspire your young artists. It’s easy!

All you need is access to the internet and a phone, tablet or computer with a webcam.

We’ll provide the rest. Once you register, you will receive instructions about pickingup your camper’s kit and a link with details on joining each session. Explore the options.

July Camps

We hope to welcome everyone back in person to the Center for the Arts in July.

JUNE 1–5

Acrylic Pouring Camp

Directed by Melanie Drew

Ages 8–12 • 12pm–1:30pm $40 per person

Clay Camp

Ages 6–12 • 10am–11:30am $40 per person

Character Matters 3 (Theatre Camp) Directed by Jenny Lyle

2 Weeks (lasts thru June 12) Ages 8–12 • 12pm–1pm $80 per person

fantastic stories & Textures: Clay Surfaces Directed by Marcella Kuykendall

Ages 13+ • 12pm–1:30pm $40 per person

JUNE 8–12 Clay Camp

Directed by Melanie Drew

Ages 6–12 • 10am–11:30am $40 per person

Directed by Faye Byrd

Character Matters 3 (Theatre Camp) Directed by Jenny Lyle

2 Weeks (lasts thru June 19) Ages 8–12 • 2pm–3pm $80 per person

Dance for Musical Theatre

Directed by Darby Burgess

Ages 12–14 Wednesday–Friday 12pm–1pm $40 per person

JUNE 15–19 Crazy Clay Camp I

Directed by Cecilie Redding

Exploring cinderella dance camp

Directed by Shawn Megorden

Ages 5–7 • 9am–12pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Wizard of Oz Theatre Camp

Directed by Tammy Barton

2 Weeks (lasts thru July 10) Ages 5–7 • 1pm–4pm $150 Members • $170 Non-Members Performance July 10 • 6pm • Tickets $5

Garden Art

Directed by Anna Aldridge

Ages 6–8 • 9am–12pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Percussion Camp

Directed by Maria Menendez

Ages 10–14 • 1pm–4pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Weaving Camp

(in-person at the Center for the Arts)

Directed by Faye Byrd

Ages 6–18 • 9am–12pm $75 Members $85 Non-Members

Monster Puppet Camp

Ages 8–12 • 12pm–1:30pm $40 per person

Directed by Terry Lowry

Directed by Jonathan Reed

Ages 8–12 • 2pm–3:30pm $40 per person

Young Chefs “Basic Pastry” Camp

Directed by LaToya Gamble

Ages 7–9 • 12pm–1:30pm $40 per person

Fantasy Character

Directed by Jonathan Reed

Ages 13+ • 4pm–5:30pm $40 per person

Acting/Singing for Musical Theatre Camp Directed by Logan Camillo & Cierra Byrd

2 Weeks (lasts thru June 26) Ages 12–14 • 10am–11:30am $80 per person

Ages 6–8 • 10am–11:30am $40 per person

J U LY 6 – 1 0

Imagination Factory II

Directed by Ashan Pridgon

Ages 6–12 • 9am–12pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Dance Technique Mini Intensive

Directed by Jennifer Safonovs, Shawn Megorden & Savannah Leftwich

J U NE 29–JULY 2

J U N E 22 – 26

Carroll Symphony Orchestra Private Lesson Music Camp

Ages 8–12 • 1pm–4pm $75 Member • $85 Non-Member

Crazy Clay Camp II

Directed by Cecilie Redding

Ages 8–12 • 1pm–4pm $75 Member • $85 Non-Member

Youth Choir Camp

Directed by Ciara Hart Thornton

Ages 8–12 • 9am–12pm $75 Member • $85 Non-Member

Chef Junior Pastry Camp

Directed by LaToya Gamble

Ages 10–12 • 9am–12pm $85 Members • $95 Non-Members

Think Big: Introduction to Installation Art

Brush of Genius

Acrylic Pouring Camp

Ages 8–12 • 9am–12pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Ages 13+ • 1pm–4pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Anna Aldridge

Jungle Book Theatre Camp Directed by Jenny Lyle

Ages 8–12 • 9am–3pm $100 Members • $120 Non-Members Performance July 18 • 6pm • Tickets $5

“Let’s Get Cookin” Camp Directed by LaToya Gamble

Directed by Faye Byrd

FX MakeUp Effects Camp

Directed by Greg & Sandra Solomon

Ages 13+ • 4pm–7pm $85 Members • $95 Non-Members

Dance Technique: Intensive

Directed by Jurijs Safonovs, Lauren Kuykendall, Shawn Megorden & Savannah Leftwich

Ages 13+ • 9am–12pm $85 Members • $95 Non-Members

Ages 13–17 • 9am–3pm $100 Members • $120 Non-Members

Costume Design Camp

JULY 2 7–31

Ages 8–12 • 9am–12pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

Directed by Darby Burgess

Directed by Mary McVey

JULY 20 –2 4

Dance for Musical Theatre

Ages 13–17 • 9am–3pm $100 Members • $120 Non-Members

Playground Art In the Park (Legends West)

Directed by Melanie Drew

Ages 6–13 • 9am–10am No fee

Directed by Marcella Kuykendall

Ages 13+ • 4pm–7pm $75 Members • $85 Non-Members

J U LY 1 3 – 1 7

Princess Dance Camp

Directed by Shawn Megorden

Ages 3–4 • 10am–12pm $65 Member • $75 Non-Member

Check out our private lessons, upcoming auditions, classes & more at carrolltonarts.com

31

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Travel Safely During COVID-19

By Sandra Bolan

Y

ou’ve been quarantined for nearly three months, only leaving your home to get groceries, go to work or for a long walk somewhere that is not your neighborhood because you’ve walked your dog around it so many time you’ve worn your own path.

Before the pandemic, you had trips booked for spring break and summer vacation. If you’re lucky, all of your money has been refunded by now.

Being home has provided you with a lot of time to daydream about every place on earth you plan on traveling to once life gets back to normal. “(The) CDC recommends you stay home as much as possible, especially if your trip is not essential and practice social distancing,” states the CDC website.

While you might believe a trip to the Bahamas is essential, the CDC views essential travel a little differently: grocery shopping, grabbing takeout, banking, getting gas and going to doctor’s appointments.

However, if you have to travel, there are some things you should do to minimize your risk.

Traveling by Plane • Check in online, if possible and only bring carry-on luggage. Most airlines, if not all, have online check in available on their apps.

• Wipe down the plastic bins you have to put your stuff into for TSA screening.

• Wear a mask. American and Delta airlines require them for all passengers.

• Wipe down your seat, arm rests and tray table before you even sit down.

Hotels • Just like you sanitized your airline seat area, be prepared to wipe down your hotel room.

• Bring a Ziploc bag to put the TV remote control in.

• Don't count on free freshly baked cookies and a continental or buffet breakfast.

Most important, be prepared for anything.

“Just because there are no restrictions at the time you plan to leave does not mean there won’t be restrictions in place when you arrive,” states the CDC website.

“If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be disrupted and you may have to remain outside the United States for an indefinite length of time."

Something else you need to consider before booking a trip – will anything be open for business? Many tourist destinations, museums and amusement parks are still closed. So, you may want to stay put a little while longer.

Be prepared for anything.

Beaches As the weather warms up across the United States, some beaches are re-opening, but with restrictions.

For example, in Myrtle Beach you must socially distance and groups of three or more will be dispersed.

Along Florida’s Gulf shores, you are able to sit in groups of no more than 10 and you must social distance with strangers.

In Georgia, you must social distance with people outside your household and gatherings of 10 people or more is prohibited.

Many people have been flooding state and local parks on the weekends, which has them thinking camping is a great way to vacation this year. However, you may find the traditionally quiet campgrounds are now filled to capacity.

“Please consider staying in your community and visiting your local park. Visiting Georgia’s most wellknown state parks is not recommended at this time,” according to the DNR website.

If you still plan on going to a state park, be forewarned – park staff is limiting the number of people in the park at any one time and all visitors centers, museums and various other buildings are closed to the public.

Playgrounds, splash pads, swimming pools and exercise stations are also closed. Recreational equipment such as bikes, kayaks and boats are not being rented out. Picnic and group shelters are limited to reservations of 10 or less people. WGW

33

Womentality

Inspiring quotes by extraordinary women “I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.”

– Anne Frank

“No matter where you are on your journey, that’s exactly where you need to be. The next road is always ahead.”

– Oprah Winfrey

“Hope is a renewable option: If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning.”

– Barbara Kingsolver

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

– Audrey Hepburn

“The best we can hope for in this life is a knothole peek at the shining realities ahead. Yet a glimpse is enough. It’s enough to convince our hearts that whatever sufferings and sorrows currently assail us aren’t worthy of comparison to that which waits over the horizon.”

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– Joni Eareckson Tada

Local Happenings

Due to our country's current health situation, please call or email the organizations included in our local events section to inquire about virtual meetings.

West Georgia Mental Health Professionals Wellness Meetup Group

This group meets the last Saturday of every month in Douglasville or Austell. For more information, contact Cheryl at theheartmatters@gmail.com or 678.754.5840.

Learn more at www.heartmatterswellness.com.

Hope For The Journey This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the Tracy Stallings Community Center at 118 South White St. in Carrollton.

These events are free to breast cancer survivors or those currently battling breast cancer.

Learn more at www.hopeforthejourneywestga.org, email execdirector@hopeforthejourneywestga.org or call 770.214.1491.

Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program

Rare Pearls mission is to enrich and empower the lives of young girls and women. This group meets the third Saturday of each month at Heritage Baptist Church in Douglasville, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

This program is open to all girls ages 7 to 17.

For more information, call 770.947.8210, email rarepearls2015@gmail.com or visit the website at www.rarepearlsmentoringandleadership.org.

Nursing From The Heart Breastfeeding Support Group This group meets the third Monday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 500 Old Bremen Road in Carrollton.

These events are free to pregnant women and moms looking for breastfeeding support. Free

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weight checks for your baby will be available. Come and share your breastfeeding journey with us.

Please check our website for meeting and event updates at www.nursingfromtheheart.com.

Gertrude's House Breast Cancer Support Group This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Lithia Springs Family Chiropractic at 1758 Lee Rd in Lithia Springs.

This group is open to all survivors, caregivers, supporters, friends, family and those fighting breast cancer. Visit their Facebook page @GertrudesHouse or email them at GertrudesHouse@yahoo.com.

Cancer Support Group at Tabernacle Baptist Church Tabernacle Baptist Church hosts a faith-based cancer support group providing spiritual and emotional support to those diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, those in remission and caregivers. Meetings run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Carrollton, Ga. For more information, call 770.832.7063 or visit the website at tabernacle.org.

about to lose their livelihood," she shares. "I felt I had a responsibility to do something to help. So, I posted a comment on Facebook to see if anyone would be interested in sponsoring a small business raffle with a grand prize of $1,000. I offered to donate the first $250 if anyone else would be willing to donate. This would allow any business located in Carroll County that was adversely affected by the shutdown to be a participating business at no cost to them."

Sidra McWhorter with Sweet Peas Boutique in Carrollton immediately jumped on board to donate, as well as Rhyne Owenby, who made a personal donation. Sarah Bearden with Dreamscapes Landscaping and Amy Hicks with City MedSpa quickly followed suit. "We had the entire $1,000 the next day," says Angela. "When one of the initial donors dropped out, Jill Duncan with State Farm, Ashley Hendrix with Smith Brothers Supply and Mindy Mussell Banks with Pampered Chef quickly stepped in to cover the deficit."

The "Love Our Locals" raffle ran the entire month of April to encourage members of the community to shop with local businesses by ordering takeout, delivery and curbside services, ordering products and services through social media, from the business' websites or by phone.

"We had 801 entries and over $85,000 was spent with participating small businesses in April," Angela

Women of West Central Georgia Luncheon This event will be held on Thursday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Del'avant Event Center, 141 Main St., LaGrange. Keynote speaker will be Corrine Hodges, CEO of the Association of Women's Business Centers in Washington, D.C. The cost is $45 to attend.

Follow Resource Exchange Consulting Group on Facebook for more information or call 706.573.6826.

Visit www.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets.

"Love Our Locals" Raffle Nets Over $85,000 for Small Businesses When non-essential businesses were forced to close in March due to the coronavirus, Publisher Angela Dailey was deeply concerned for local business owners. "There were a few sleepless nights, just thinking about all of these people who were

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says. "We donated advertising in West Georgia Woman magazine and shared the campaign all over social media, encouraging participating businesses to also share on their social media platforms. Sue Horn, owner of the StarNews, donated advertising space for the raffle in April as well. We are thrilled that our $1,000 investment brought in over $85,000 for small businesses in need, thanks to these women in our community who stepped in and answered the call to help our neighbors."

Raffle donors back row from left: Angela Dailey, West Georgia Woman magazine, Jill Duncan, State Farm and Sarah Bearden, Dreamscapes Landscaping. Middle row from left: Mindy Mussell Banks, Pampered Chef, Amy Hicks, City MedSpa, Sidra McWhorter, Sweet Peas Boutique and Ashley Smith Hendrix, Smith Brothers Supply. Front: Lisa Huddleston Allen won $1,000 cash in the "Love our Locals" small business raffle. Not pictured: Rhyne Owenby. Photo by Zachary Dailey.

Layton, Vice President of Engineering & Technology for Carroll EMC. “A dollar of electricity will go much further than a dollar of gas. The battery technology in EVs are allowing vehicles greater range capabilities.”

Recycling efforts have remained at the forefront of the cooperative’s ecological friendly business.

With a baling machine, those efforts are made easier. Recycled cardboard is baled into bundles of over 1,000 pounds. But Carroll EMC employees recycle more than just cardboard. Throughout the year, scrap metals, plastic, batteries, eyeglasses and electronics are collected for a recyclable donation.

“Just last year, our employees collected and donated more than 3,000 pounds of electronics to the local electronic drive,” said Carroll EMC Community Relations Supervisor, Carole Thompson.

“We each have a responsibility in preserving the environment, and Carroll EMC does not take that lightly.”

Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 50,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk, Floyd and Troup counties. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn. Carroll EMC: Community Built. Community Builder.

Sustainability Remains a Priority at Carroll EMC Sustainability efforts of Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative have gained momentum the past few months as the cooperative’s green initiatives are rapidly developing. From the purchase of both an electric vehicle and a baling machine, Carroll EMC is paving the way for a greener future.

Carroll EMC recognizes the rapid development of energy efficient vehicles and fully supports efforts to adopt an electric fleet. Taking a step in that direction, the cooperative purchased its first electric vehicle (EV), a 2018 Chevy Bolt. The car is used for business travel and corporate ventures and serves as an educational tool to teach and encourage the public about EVs. The Carroll EMC website launched an EV page that explains the benefits and facts of available EV models. Also imbedded in the site are purchase and commute savings calculators that provide an estimate of potential savings. Visit https://carrollemc. com/ev to explore these new features.

“The efficiency of an electric vehicle is incredible in comparison to a gasoline engine,” said James

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Amid Pandemic, Healthcare Workers See Smiles in Small Gifts

By Tony Montcalm, Tanner Health System

I

t had been a bad day. But a small, supplies have been hard to get. From New York, one surprise packet of lip balm turned it around. nurse asked for hand sanitizer, gloves and facemasks.

Misty Conerly had joined a small Facebook The gifts may come from people who know each group of other Greenway Health employees who other outside of Facebook, but many are sent to shared small Amazon wish lists among themselves. strangers as a way for those in the industry to lift Members would periodically pick an item and “gift” each other up. it – nothing big or extravagant, just little tokens and The process is simple. Members share items on tchotchkes to let someone know they care.

Amazon that they’d like, and share their wish list to For Conerly, it wasn’t just the lip balm – it was the group. Members can peruse the list, pick an item knowing someone was thinking of her that left an and pay for it. Amazon does the rest. In a few days, impression. the recipient of the gift has a little blessing waiting at When the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) their doorstep. outbreak began, Conerly – now a receptionist The group’s popularity has been challenging. at Tanner Healthcare for Women in Carrollton – Conerly has had to be selective about membership, remembered how those small gestures of random recruited additional admins and tried to stay on kindness could brighten someone’s day. top of the notifications of new posts and messages.

She took to Facebook and created “Gifts for She said she’s probably declined as many people Grins for Healthcare Workers.” At first, she only as she’s admitted just because of the demands of invited people she knew from within Tanner Health moderating the group.

System to join.

Still, the group continues to grow well beyond Then those members invited others. And those Alabama and Georgia. members invited others.

“We have a lot of people from Florida,” said Now, the group includes 3,100 members Conerly. “I’m starting to see a lot of people from spanning 27 states – and more are joining every Illinois. We have a lot of people from Pennsylvania, day.

New Jersey and New York.”

“It’s been unbelievable to see the friendship and The group’s membership recently went comradery it inspires,” said Conerly. “It’s been so transcontinental with the addition of healthcare joyous.” workers from Oregon and The group includes people "We’re recognizing Washington. each other and from across the spectrum One of the biggest blessings of healthcare delivery, from from the group has been reminding each front-office staff like Conerly seeing how these workers come other that we’re herself to people who together to raise each other’s all valued and manage medical practices, spirits, Conerly said. respected." nurses, advanced practice “We’re recognizing each providers, emergency medical other and reminding each technicians and others. other that we’re all valued and And the wish lists members respected,” said Conerly. “We post tell their own stories. have allies in the COVID war, Most gift requests whether you’re on the frontlines are pretty typical – working with positive patients coffee mugs with clever or experiencing the stress and sayings, pens and scented anxiety of furlough and reduced soaps. Conerly said sugar hours. It’s so wonderful to see scrubs were a particularly how everyone comes together popular item. The rules set the to lift each other up. It takes price limit at $25 per gift. a special kind of person to Other requests be called to this kind of work, demonstrate the painful and I’m honored to be among impact of COVID-19 in some Misty Conerly's Facebook page, "Gifts for Grins them.” of the nation’s hardest-hit More information on Tanner for Healthcare Workers" now has 3,100 members areas where necessary medical spanning 27 states. Photo by Zachary Dailey is at www.tanner.org. WGW

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SHeroes Local Nurses Share Their Pandemic Experience

W

hen Hope Davenport was growing up with her two brothers in Ranburne, Ala., they spent every summer with their elderly grandparents.

Even at a young age, Hope knew she wanted to be a nurse. "I always felt like I needed to take care of my grandparents," she says. "Being a nurse is definitely a calling. I've always wanted to help people."

Hope still lives in Ranburne with her husband of 18 years, Doug, and her three boys, Eli, 16, Drew, 13 and Sam, 11.

She began working as a nurse tech for Tanner Health System in October 1998 when she was 19 years old. While working at Tanner, she went back to school to become an LPN and, later, an RN. In 2016, she graduated from the University of West Georgia with her bachelor of science in nursing. She is now the nurse manager for Tanner at 3 West and the Outpatient Infusion Center.

Working during the pandemic has been challenging for healthcare workers across the nation.

Here, it is no different. "Things have changed a lot," she says. "I like to hug people. It's so hard to not be able to hug people anymore. Many of our processes have changed in the hospital and everything is so different now. There are just so many unknowns."

Due to the large volume of communication Hope receives on a day-to-day basis, her biggest challenge has been keeping her staff and coworkers up-to-date on changes and new recommendations from the CDC. Understandably, there has been

By Angela Dailey Photos by Zachary Dailey

additional stress on the patients who have contracted the novel coronavirus and the staff.

Healthcare workers are placing themselves at risk each time they interact with a COVID-19 patient.

But Hope says she is just doing what she was called to do.

"It's our job. It's what we do. It's why we go to school to learn," she shares. "The patients are afraid – especially during all of this. They can't have their family up here with them. I don't know them, but I always want to take care of my patients like I would want somebody to take care of my family or me. We just Women’s Auto Clinic. don't ever know when any of us could be in Women’s Concierge Service. that position."

She is emotional when she talks about 770.832.9465 the tremendous outpouring of 134 Bankhead Ave., Carrollton community support the hospital staff has www.lamberttirecompany.com received.

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"I'm thankful every day to be a nurse. I still wouldn't change my career choice for anything – even after all this."

Hope Davenport, BSN/RN

"The donations, the masks, the food, the hero signs, it's just been amazing, it truly has," she shares.

"It's unbelievable. There was a lady who was kind enough to bring us these little devotional books.

Carroll EMC came and hung their American flag. We are just so thankful for everything the community has done for us. It really felt as if we were all off to war together here. I've seen Army veterans in public and I always want to thank them for their service. I had someone thank me in a store recently and it took me by surprise. I thought, 'Well that's just what we do, you know?' Everything the community has done for us has been very humbling."

Hope says this experience has brought the Tanner family closer together. "The clinical support staff, respiratory therapy, radiology, pharmacy, environmental services and food and nutrition staff members worked together as one big team to do what needed to be done to help care for these patients," she says. "We all have a whole new appreciation for the different roles and responsibilities that each of us have."

Hope has been saving pictures and wants to make a keepsake book to document everything that has happened over the last few months.

"My coworkers and I have discussed this. Who would have ever thought that we would be a nurse in a global pandemic?" she exclaims. "I am absolutely, without a doubt, thankful to be a nurse during this time. As hard as it's been, I look at it as history; something we will remember many years down the road. One day, I will tell my grandchildren about how thankful I was to work for Tanner and how proud I was to be a part of this. I'm thankful every day to be a nurse. I still wouldn't change my career choice for anything – even after all this."

Leigh Ann Carter, LPN, loves interacting with people from all walks of life, so it was only natural for her to pursue a career in nursing. "II felt like nursing

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was what God was calling me to do. It was not only a way to get to know people, but maybe in some way, touch their lives," she shares. After graduating from West Georgia Technical College, Leigh Ann began her nursing career when she was 21 years old.

She lives in Bremen, Ga., with her husband, Kyle, and their children, Jake, 8, and Eva, 2. She has worked for Tanner for over 13 years and works in the Med Surg Float Pool. If a nurse calls in or if there's a floor that is short-staffed, Leigh Ann fills in wherever she is needed.

Leigh Ann has worked primarily in the COVID unit since the beginning of the pandemic. She thrives on personal interaction with her patients – something that has been challenging due to the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) she is required to wear for her own safety.

"We are, literally, gowned from head to toe," she explains. "When you go in a patient's room, all they see is your eyes. I've definitely had to adjust and be a lot more intentional with patients and their families. I've tried to find more ways to still give my patients that personal care, comfort them and assure them during this time because they're terrified and they can't be with their family. This is such an unknown thing that we're dealing with. Also, I've tried to be more intentional in dealing with families.

"Reassuring families through this has been a huge thing, because they're not there. They're not looking at 'mama' or 'daddy' and cannot see that they're OK. They're literally relying on us and what we're telling them. We recognize that is a huge responsibility and have hopefully risen to the challenge."

Sometimes, no matter how much comfort and assurance nurses give their patients, they cannot save them. One reminder of the pandemic that will stay with Leigh Ann her entire life is of an elderly

"I think I speak for most nurses when I say we do this because we love it, not because we want any recognition. We're used to being behind the scenes and we're ok with that. It's been very humbling to see the community recognize us."

Leigh Ann Carter, LPN

man whose prognosis was not good – the doctors knew he wasn't going to make it.

"This was heartbreaking for two reasons," she says with emotion. "The first was realizing that he was by himself. On the other side of it, he and his wife had been married for many years. There was the heartache of knowing that she could not be there by his side. She did not think she was going to be able to tell him goodbye in person. We were able to gown her up and bring her there, and that was such an honor. Being able to facilitate that was probably the most heartbreaking moment in my nursing career. I'll always remember her just being so thankful that she was able to hold that man's hand whom she had been married to for so long and to be able to say her goodbyes."

While she was comforting and reassuring her COVID-19 patients and their families, Leigh Ann had her own concerns about the unknowns of the virus. "Many of the sicknesses that we deal with, there have been so many studies on them and a lot of information, so you feel very prepared in dealing with those," she explains. "I think it's the unknowns of this disease that have been the most difficult: the progression of the illness, the treatment and how to protect yourself."

When anyone asked her if they could help, she only asked them to pray for the protection of her

family. "It is an honor, a joy and a privilege to be able to care for these patients during this time, but as a mother and as a wife, I was terrified of bringing something home to my family," she shares. "A lot of prayer was involved."

Leigh Ann is deeply touched by the outpouring of support from the community. Just knowing they have recognized the work she and her coworkers have been doing has been humbling for her. "I think I speak for most nurses when I say we do this because we love it, not because we want any recognition," she says. "We're used to being behind the scenes and we're ok with that. It's been very humbling to see the community recognize us."

She says if she could describe the coronavirus pandemic in one word, it would be "rewarding," and she is thankful to be a nurse during this time – no matter how challenging it's been.

"Twenty years from now, this is going to be something you're going to read about in the history books – the pandemic in our world," she shares.

"I hope one day my kids will be able to tell their children with pride, 'My mom was a part of that and she helped those people during that time.' I think it will be amazing to one day be able to tell our grandkids that I was able to work directly with COVID patients during a pandemic. It's been an honor and a privilege." WGW

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Kids Korner

By Jordan Coffman Photos by Zachary Dailey

Outdoor Bumblebee Hanger

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elebrate your love of nature with these super easy and whimsical tin can bumblebees. This cute craft for kids can be pulled together in just a few minutes and makes a great addition to any garden or just hang it from a tree in the front yard.

Show dad you love him on Father's Day by creating this tie magnet. Place it on the refrigerator and he's sure to smile every time he walks by.

Instructions Materials One empty tin can, washed Empty plastic water bottle Googly eyes Black and yellow paint Twine or string Glue gun Glue sticks Scissors

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Paint the tin can to resemble a bumblebee.

Glue the googly eyes to the bottom of the can.

Paint the mouth below the eyes.

Cut two wings out of the plastic water bottle.

Glue the wings to the can.

Cut a two- to three-foot length of twine or string Tie the twine or string around the can or glue the twine or string to the can.

Hang the bumblebee can on your porch or a nearby tree or bush.

Father's Day Tie Magnet Materials Paper plate Black and red paint Paintbrush Magnet Scissors Glue gun Glue sticks Instructions Cut the paper plate into a tie shape.

Paint the tie as desired.

Glue the magnet to the back of the tie with the hot glue gun.

Place on refrigerator after giving to dad. WGW

Wishing a Very Happy Father’s Day to All Dads in West Georgia – Biological, Foster and Adoptive, or Just Filling the Role of a Father.

770.832.9689 Dedicated Healthcare When You Need It Most.

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We Are Here for You. The tubes in your daughter’s ears. Your son’s delivery and your wife’s maternity care. The new joint in your father’s hip.

We’re the care after the car wreck. The stent that saved your husband’s heart.

For 70 years, that’s been us — here when you needed us. That’s never been more vital than now.

You’re doing your part to stop COVID-19. And we’re doing ours.

Expanding care, with telehealth, emergency department appointments and walk-in care.

Ensuring your wellness — not only with our community programs, but with special measures to sanitize and enforce social distancing inside our hospitals and clinics. And delivering the same exceptional care you expect from us.

Your health is our specialty. We are Tanner Strong.

#WeAreTannerStrong tanner.org/CareYourWay 48