Woman
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March 2019
West Georgia
Linda Rice Stiles
10 Simple
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A Mother to Many
Ways to Give Your Home a Spring Makeover Myrlynn Delille, M.D.
Helping Patients in West Georgia Manage Their Chronic Pain
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What’s inside... 10
A Mother To Many
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Are You Lying To Yourself? The Importance Of Self-awareness
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Facts About Multiple Sclerosis
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10 Simple Ways To Give Your Home A Spring Makeover
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Hometown Healing
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Daily Fare
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Local Happenings
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Womentality
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Kidz Korner
Spring is Happening
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A Season of Rebirth I love spring almost as much as I love the summer. Everything feels and smells fresh and new, with unlimited possiblities. Along with spring, of course, comes spring cleaning. It just feels great to throw open the windows and let the fresh air in while you work in your home. What are your plans for Spring Break? Whether it's taking a much needed vacation or just hanging out at home with the kids, enjoy this beautiful weather and don't forget to take some time out for yourself. In This Issue Our cover feature this month is Carrollton, Ga., resident Linda Rice Stiles. Once one of Carrollton's biggest movers and shakers in the community, Linda is now almost completely homebound due to suffering from multiple sclerosis, a chronic, incurable disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves in the eyes. MS can also cause problems with balance, muscle control, vision and other basic body functions. While her movements are limited, she doesn't allow her illness to stop her from helping others. Read about Linda and how she pushes through her own pain to help children in need on page 10. Dr. Myrlynn Delille, a double board certified doctor with Alliance Spine and Pain Centers, is a caring and compassionate physician who is determined to help her patients fight their chronic pain. Dr. Delille does so much more than just writing a prescription and moving on to the next person. She allows all of her patients to feel heard, so she can create the best treatment plan for each patient. Read more about Dr. Delille and her passion for helping her patients who are dealing with chronic pain on page 24. Are you stuck in a job you don't like or in a toxic relationship? You know you need to move on, but you keep telling yourself things will get better or things aren't really that bad? Learn more about why we lie to ourselves and the importance of self-awareness on page 32. Spring is finally here, and it's time to stow away your winter belongings and bring in the warm weather gear. Read our 10 tips for giving your home an uplifting spring makeover on page 40. Thank you for reading! Please do business with our valuable advertisers included in this publication, and please be sure to tell them you saw their advertisements in West Georgia Woman magazine. See you next month!
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Volume 4 • Issue 5 March 2019
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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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A Mother to Many
Carrollton resident Linda Rice Stiles pushes through her pain to help children in need. By Janet Flanigan
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W
hen it comes to having an optimistic attitude, the life of Carrollton’s Linda Rice Stiles fits best with the words of Greek philosopher Epictetus: “We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can choose how to respond to them.” Linda, with her canine partner Candi (short for Candida) supportively at her side, is well-known for her devotion to serving the people of Carroll County. After fighting a form of multiple sclerosis known as relapsing-remitting toward progressive for many years, she says she is now a full-time homebody with the exception of her medical appointments. However, Linda sees her health problems as a situation to work around, as simply another obstacle to overcome. From a young age, Linda has faced challenges time after time and has emerged triumphant and ready to help others do the same.
Adversity at a Young Age Linda was born in Rome, Ga., and at just 3 months old, her family moved to San Diego, Calif. Devotion to God and church had been at the core of her family’s belief system, but their faith also practiced strict ideologies. When Linda was 13, the family was asked to no longer attend their house of worship.
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“My precious daddy was an alcoholic and drinking was definitely frowned upon,” she explains. “This abandonment by my church family prevented me from joining another church until many years later." She eventually found a church home at Carrollton Presbyterian, where she is an ordained elder. Another upheaval in Linda’s young life was the divorce of her parents. “My parents were married and divorced from one another three times," she shares. "The first divorce came when I was 5, then at age 13 and finally when I was 22. Although my parents loved me truly and unconditionally, my homelife was often unstable.” She spent much of her time alone, reading or playing with her baby dolls. Her mother loved to play Scrabble, and that was an activity mother and daughter enjoyed together. Linda still loves to play, and that has become a favorite activity when out-oftown friends come to visit for birthdays and holidays.
Back to Georgia After her parent’s first separation, Linda and her mother returned to Rome, Ga., and moved in with her mother’s parents. As she grew up, Linda began considering a variety of career paths, but one thing she knew for sure was that she had a deep desire to help others. “It’s possible I felt an unconscious desire to help people since I needed people to help me,” she relates. Upon graduation from East Rome High School, Linda began her undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of West Georgia (UWG). Early in her freshman year, Linda noticed she was not feeling well. “I was suffering from terrible exhaustion, headaches and could not concentrate at all,” she recalls. She withdrew from UWG and returned home to receive her medical care from her family physicians. Back in Rome, Linda knew she wanted to continue her schooling and searched for a solution. “My parents did not have much money, and I had to find a way to pay for school,” she says. She began working full-time at Floyd Medical Center in Rome. Her job was supporting hospital professionals as they cared for patients. “I felt a true bond working in the locked psychiatric unit with two very devoted psychiatrists and trained nurses," she says. "It reinforced my vision of helping others, which was always a priority for me.” While working at the hospital, Linda attended classes in the evenings at the University of Georgia extension in Rome. Floyd Junior College, now Georgia Highlands College, was later built, and
she was able to finish her core classes there. Then, she returned to the University of West Georgia to finish her undergraduate degree in psychology and would later obtain a master’s degree in counseling from there. “Amazingly, even with all the time off and switching of schools, I was able to earn my undergraduate degree on-time and in four years,” she shares.
Searching for a Career During her time at UWG, Linda had a friend who was impressed by her resourcefulness, determination and ability to care for herself. He loaned Linda the funds to start a Mary Kay business as a way to help pay for her school. “He truly believed in me, and what a blessing," she shares. "I performed well enough to pay for my school tuition, books, apartment and insurance.” A highlight during this period in her life was attending training sessions by motivational speaker Zig Ziglar and by Mary Kay Ash herself. Linda believed in in the Mary Kay corporate philosophy of "God first, family second and career third." Her Mary Kay business remained successful until an economic downturn impacted many in the community, and the business could no longer provide a steady income. Other jobs included work as a substitute teacher in the Carrollton School System and after-school care in her apartment for children in the kindergarten through ninth grades. These jobs helped pay the bills, but counseling remained her focus. All the while, health concerns were a presence in her life. “I continued to have health issues but really didn’t yet have a name for what was wrong with me,” she explains. “I had difficulty concentrating, but I thought that was normal for busy people.” Recognizing the need for a steadier income, Linda began working as a third-shift radio operator for the Carrollton Police Department – this was prior to the creation of the 9-1-1 service we use today. “I was preparing to be a community relations officer and was scheduled to attend the Police Academy with plans to become the first female police officer in Carrollton,” she recalls. After about nine months of working with the department and just prior to attending the Police Academy, Linda was told there was a problem. “Because there had never been a female police officer in Carrollton, the City Council held a meeting to discuss my academy application,” Linda explains. “They decided a woman could not be a police officer. Lawyers assured me I could legally have the job and, while I was very disappointed, I decided to
choose a different path.” A friend in the police department referred Linda to the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL), where she was hired as a counselor and teacher in five counties to work with parents receiving government aid for their children. When a woman finally became the first female police officer in Carrollton, Linda voiced her support. “I feel that experience gave me insight when I went to work at the GDOL, and for people who are dealing with discrimination issues,” she relates.
A Pioneer for Women Although she did not become the first female police officer, Linda did achieve several firsts, including her service as the first female president of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. She also served as president of the Personnel Association, a group of human resources and personnel directors from local industries and businesses who worked together to provide seminars for groups of people to discuss changes in law and how those changes would affect those businesses and industries. She served as president of the Georgia chapter of the International Association of Personnel and Employment Security, and she was one of three
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women selected as the first women to join the Carrollton Rotary Club (On May 4, 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Rotary clubs could not exclude women from membership on the basis of gender). After a promotion to field services manager with the GDOL, Linda received her public manager certification. As part of her many duties with the Labor Department, Linda developed parenting classes, jobs training and assistance programs, employee insurance classes and a community relations curriculum. “My training was put to use as I was required to teach different skills and training to a wide variety of people,” she says.
Personal Challenges Even as her star was rising at work, alongside health woes Linda was also struggling with some personal crises. She had a brief marriage of two months to a man with a son, and treasured her time as a first-time mother to the 14-year-old boy. “Now he is 55," she smiles. "He and his family still hold a special place in my heart.” A second marriage brought her a 16-year-old stepson. This marriage lasted 16 years, and Linda says her poor health definitely added stressors to the marriage. Although the marriage ended, her relationship with her stepson continues to be important to her; he will soon be 54 and remains in Linda’s life. "He has blessed me with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren," she shares. "The marriages were less than I had hoped for, but the boys never disappointed me. Their busy lives and jobs do not allow for frequent visits, but we stay in touch."
A Horrible Tragedy While working for the GDOL, Linda endured an unimaginable horror that would change her life forever. She was driving to an appointment from Carrollton to Newnan, Ga., and observed two people standing along the side of the highway. A grandmother and her 3-year-old grandson were waiting to cross to get the mail from their mailbox, which was on the opposite side of the road. The little boy shook off his grandmother’s hold and darted directly into the path of Linda’s car. “It happened so fast. I swerved to miss him but it was too late,” she sadly recalls. A car coming from the opposite direction also swerved and ran off the road, but the driver was not injured and quickly called the paramedics.
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“I got out of my car and ran to help the child," she says. "His grandmother went into her house and got a blanket. We wrapped him in the blanket and I carried him to the porch to wait on the ambulance. That baby died in my arms.” The family told her they knew it was not her fault and recognized it was a terrible accident. Still, Linda felt the strong desire to do something for them, but there was nothing she could do. “So, I cooked and cooked and cooked for them,” she says. She also worked with the U.S. Postal Service to get those mailboxes moved on the same side of the road as the houses.
Illness Gets a Name In the late 90s, Linda was at work when she suddenly collapsed. She was rushed by ambulance to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. While there, research proved she suffered severely with CFIDS or, Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome. CFIDS is very overwhelming and is characterized by physical debilitation, chronic total body fatigue and impaired physical and mental functioning. The illness can last six months or longer. As bad as a diagnosis of CFIDS is, Linda had a more insidious disease hiding inside her body that had yet to be diagnosed: multiple sclerosis. MS is
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“Some people don't get any recognition on their birthday, so I let them know I am thinking about them.”
a chronic, incurable disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves in the eyes. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control and other basic body functions. She says MS had been suspected, along with the CFIDS, but was not positively identified until she was later a patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. “I was sent to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta because I began having increased issues,” she says. “I came under the care of the amazing Dr. Doug Stuart, who is a very well-known neurologist who specializes in treating multiple sclerosis." Many MS symptoms mimic those of CFIDS, but MS can follow a more progressive and degenerative path. One of the difficulties in diagnosing MS is that it usually cannot be definitively identified until the disease has reached a certain point. "Naturally, I was devastated by the diagnosis," she relates. "But I was determined not to let MS ruin my life. I really don’t know how I got through that last year of work. I learned to do things differently, but it eventually became too much. I did not return to work after the CFIDS and MS diagnoses in 1997. I am blessed to have my retirement and social security.” Over time, Dr. Stuart began an affiliation with the MS Center at Tanner Medical Linda is known as "The Birthday Lady" at her church. She regularly sends Center in Villa Rica, where Linda has been able to continue her long relationship with birthday, anniversary, seasonal and prayer cards to her church family. her trusted doctor. “It has been such a anniversary, seasonal and prayer cards to members blessing to be able to go to Villa Rica, instead of of her church as a way to stay connected to Atlanta, for treatment,” she says. the church family, and to let people know they are remembered. “Some people don’t get any recognition on their birthday, so I let them know I am From Pain to Positivity thinking about them,” she shares. Linda also mails cards to members who are After facing the horrible car accident, then homebound, in nursing homes or recuperating receiving a devastating health diagnosis, Linda at home from an illness. She has a special decided to find positive ways to move forward and understanding of what it feels like to be isolated still be a contributing member of her community. She remained active at the Carrollton Presbyterian from others and thinks it is important to include those people in her life. Church, first as an elder and later, in other ways Even as she has become increasingly ill, Linda when her MS prevented her from attending church has never lost her desire to help others and make in person. a positive impact in the lives of the less fortunate. Part of Linda’s church participation has included “One thing that has always been very lucky for me sending cards and notes to fellow church members. is unlike some MS patients, I have never been mad, She has become known in her church as “The angry or depressed about my disease," she relates. Birthday Lady." She regularly sends birthday,
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MEDICINE BEYOND MEASURESM
"Of course, my health issues have made me upset, but I have never suffered with depression, and this has allowed me to see that I have so many blessings in my life.” One of those blessings has come in the form of Jwyanda Norman, owner of Need It Most Home Care. Need It Most is a state licensed home care agency in West Georgia. Although she is usually very independent, a recent, adverse reaction to an MS medication required her to be hospitalized and in need of some increased personal assistance. As Linda’s disease has progressed, she has become increasingly homebound, and Jwyanda has become a trusted friend, as well as a caretaking lifeline. Jwyanda assists Linda with her physical care, Candi’s care and help with her home. “Chronic and severe fatigue remain my daily disabling companions,” she explains. Linda has a powered wheelchair and a special sturdy walker she uses to get around a bit in her home, but she's quick to joke that it doesn't help her get around too far, too well or too fast.
A Mother to All While primarily homebound, Linda still finds much to enjoy and says springtime is her favorite season. “I can sometimes rest Linda, with Jwyanda Norman, owner of Need It Most Home Care. Need It on my screened porch and observe the Most is a state licensed home care agency in West Georgia. Linda says behavior of my 'outside pets;’ baby ducks, Jwyanda has become a trusted friend, as well as a caretaking lifeline. baby Canada geese, a racoon, a possum, a groundhog and a doe all delight in frolicking in my of three, discussed with Linda the needs she backyard steam,” she says. Birds are also favorites, observed in the school community, particularly her and she enjoys watching them feed in her yard. thoughts about the needs of financially distressed Linda has always loved young people, and for families with young children. Linda was also very several years she welcomed a small group of young aware of these needs through her prior work with girls into her home for monthly book club meetings. the GDOL. Known as the Pink Hat Readers, they would meet The two women put their talents together to to discuss books and learned how to serve and sip find a way to help, and the result was the formation tea. Linda says these delightful young women who of The Friends of Carrollton Head Start Schools are now high school and college age also learned program. the importance of providing support for a variety Head Start is a program that offers child care of community organizations during the Pink Hat and preschool education to children age 6 weeks meetings. to 5 years who come from low-income families. Head Start prepares children for further education by providing activities that stimulate children’s Filling a Need cognitive, social, emotional and physical growth. Linda's love for children and young people, her Project Head Start began as a governmental passion for helping others and her professional skills initiative in 1965, as part of President Lyndon and contacts would eventually lead Linda to her next Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” It continues to run big project. Early last year, Jwyanda, a grandmother under the auspices of the federal government under
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the Administration for Children and Families under the Department of Health and Human Services. However, today’s programs would never achieve their success without public-private partnerships, such as those formed by Linda and Jwyanda. Their collaboration with Tasheka Dobbs, Community Support Liaison for the Rome Street School and Deyonca Dozier, Community Support Liaison for the Willie North Street School, shows what teamwork can do for children in need. There are currently 223 preschool age children in Carrollton’s Head Start Program. “Churches were providing backpacks of weekend food for public school children in need, but the Head Start School Students were being overlooked,” Linda explains. Jwyanda and Linda recognized that for many of these children, the meals and snacks they receive at Head Start may be their only food for that day. “We were worried about the days the kids were not at school, like weekends and holidays,” she says. The two women began securing donations to prepare weekend bags of food for the students. Jwyanda had the physical ability and knowledge of what foods and health items would benefit small
children, and Linda had the experience and broad community contacts to enact positive change through food and monetary donations. Every Friday, the children are given a bag of healthy, age-appropriate food and hygiene items, including formula for the infants. “Jwyanda had been using a room in my house to store and pack the bags," she says. "But the Head Start building on Willie North Street has donated a lovely room to use as a staging area and a screening room." Linda and Jwyanda have grown their program to provide some additional services such as CPR, choking prevention and breastfeeding classes. “We are working to improve participation in classes," she says. "Often, many will sign up, intending to come, but then only a handful make it to the sessions." Transportation issues are a major reason affecting attendance, but Linda and Jwyanda intend to grow the programs. Community churches and organizations such as Carrollton Presbyterian, Northpoint Baptist, Action Ministries, Bethlehem Temple Church of a New Beginning (Jwyanda's church), Carrollton First Methodist Church, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and others have all been generous partners in supplying funds and goods. “Carrollton Presbyterian voted to give 10 percent of their entire outreach budget to our backpack program,” Linda gratefully shares. Other community members, such as Drs. Monicha and David Drew of Southern Dental in Carrollton, donate toothbrushes that the children proudly claim as their own. “We had one little girl who carried her toothbrush everywhere with her, she loved it so much,” Linda smiles.
Beyond Family “I do not have family support, but my friends Jwyanda takes inventory of some of the food donations for Friends of Carrollton Head Start Schools fill this void nicely,” program while Linda works on securing more donations for the children.
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Learn more at www.spinepains.com Linda says. She has developed many friendships that are as close as blood relations. One such friendship is with the City of Carrollton's Chief of Police, Joel Richards. “He is special to me, and we have become good friends since my retirement.” Linda is also very close to friends Leslie and Darris Rodgers. The couple showed their deep affection for Linda when she once commented that she hoped to see the beach one more time before the end of her life. The Rodgers had recently married and planned to honeymoon at the beach, and they insisted Linda come with them. They packed her wheelchair, tucked Linda into the back seat of the car, drove to Gulf Shores and took wonderful care of her. Linda had her own room, but they made sure she was included and cared for on the trip. “I can’t believe they wanted me to go with them," she exclaims. "They made my wish come true!”
A Full Life A person with a less positive outlook might be beaten down by her circumstances, but not Linda. She continues to see herself as blessed
L i fe . Star ts . He re . with friends; a successful career; an extended, if untraditional, family; excellent medical care, especially from Jwyanda; a loving companion in Candi; and a new purpose with the Friends of Carrollton Head Start Schools program. While limited physically, she does not put boundaries on her abilities and aspirations to help others. She can still get things done with her phone and her tablet, and does more from her home than most folks do at a desk. Some may believe a life lived from a bed or wheelchair as confining, but Linda just sees a world of possibilities. WGW
To learn more about Friends of Carrollton Head Start or to donate food items call 678.739.1740 To make a monetary donation, mail to: Friends of Head Start P.O. Box 2652 Carrollton, Ga. 30112 Follow them on Facebook. 21
M
occur periodically followed by periods of remission. ultiple Sclerosis is a very mysterious disease, and symptoms can be unique to Eventually most people move on to Primary the individual. It is a disease that can affect Progressive MS. the brain and spinal cord, with symptoms affecting Primary Progressive MS – There are no wellmany parts of the body. defined symptoms, and there is usually little to no Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis: recovery. It usually leads to earlier disability and tends to affect women more than men. The average • Vision issues – blurry or jumpy vision age for diagnosis is 40. • Numbness and tingling • Sensitivity to heat Secondary Progressive MS – After living with • Pain that runs down the spine when Relapsing Remitting MS for many years, most bending the neck people will develop Secondary Progressive MS. • Dizziness With this type, the disease begins a steady march • Bowel or bladder problems with few or no remissions, and the process of • Sexual problems ongoing nerve damage increases. It is difficult to • Trouble moving treat, and symptom relief varies for individuals. • Muscle stiffness • Weakness and fatigue Progressive Relapsing MS – the least common • Problems with balance and coordination type of MS (5 percent). Symptoms may come and • Trouble thinking clearly go or appear once and not appear again. Symptoms • Depression are dependent on whether the disease affects the spinal cord or brain and vary by individual. There are a few major types of the disease: If you have questions, talk with your doctor. If you Rapidly Remitting MS – 85 percent of people have been diagnosed with MS, contact the National have this type, and symptoms usually start when Multiple Sclerosis Society at nationalmssociety.org people are in their 20s. Attacks or relapses can for more information and support. WGW
An Independent PreK-3 through 12th Grade College-Preparatory School
Oak Mountain Academy is a family-oriented Independent School with faith-based values and an Academy Honor Code. We offer high academic standards as we prepare our students for college and beyond. Our students are supported through various dynamic opportunities empowering them to lead lives of service and integrity.
Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2019 ~ Schedule a Campus Tour Today! 222 Cross Plains Road ~ Carrollton, GA 30116 ~ 770-834-6651 ~ www.oakmountain.us
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Hometown Healing
Dr. Myrlynn Delille Shares Her Passion 24 for Helping Patients with Chronic Pain
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riginally from Long Island, N.Y., Dr. Myrlynn Delille has worked as a physician all over the country for the last 10 years, which has exposed her to many cultural environments. "I think it has shaped me to be able to adapt to various environments and appreciate different cultural nuances," she relates. Out of high school, Dr. Delille was accepted into a highly selective B.S/M.D. accelerated program in New York City that propelled her through college and her first two years of medical school. "The program allowed me to focus on my goals and filter out the distractions most college students face," she says. After attending medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, N.Y., she received her primary specialty training and became chief resident in her program in physical medicine and rehabilitation in Miami, Fla. "I wanted to help those patients most forgotten after battling their acute illnesses, and help them regain their function and quality of life, which is the same for those dealing with chronic pain," she explains. "Being interested in spinal cord injury at the time, I chose the University of Miami for their Miami Project to Cure Paralysis – a premier investigative research program targeting and investigating spinal cord and brain injuries." As time passed, Dr. Delille realized one of the most significant obstacles standing in the way of her
patients achieving their goals and regaining control of their lives was chronic pain and cancer pain. "Seeking to offer more to help my patients, I chose to expand my specialty training through a fellowship in Interventional Pain Management at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga.," she says. "Later, I accepted the opportunity to practice in the great state of Texas, helping to grow a large pain practice there." After spending nearly two years in Texas, Dr. Delille and her husband chose to move back to Georgia, where they have more family and where it felt more like home to them. She joined the Alliance Spine and Pain family in 2017, which brought her to practice in Carrollton and Douglasville, Ga. Double board certified in pain medicine and interventional pain management, she enjoys the small-town community environment and relishes her time working with her patients in the West Georgia area. "Since being here, I have come to know patients who are warm, hard-working folks," she shares. "They are very appreciative of the help they receive to improve their lives and get back to enjoying their families."
Giving Her Patients Hope Dr. Delille takes tremendous pride in treating her patients who have chronic pain, who, by the
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970 Hays Mill Road, Carrollton, Georgia 678.664.0610 Monday 10 AM - 6 PM, Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM, Sunday 1 - 6 PM
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time she encounters them, often feel marginalized and at the end of their rope. "Due to this, I spend time getting to know them and their stories, as there is always a bigger picture with chronic pain," she explains. "Allowing them to feel heard does more for me in figuring out the best treatment plan for each patient. It is more than just writing a prescription and walking out the door. We treat the person and take many factors into account, including their overall health."
An Alarming Crisis More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017 – a two-fold increase in a decade, and drug overdose deaths involving any opioid – prescription opioids (including methadone), synthetic opioids and heroin – rose from 18,515 to 47,600 deaths. Nearly 80 percent of heroin users reported using prescription opioids prior to heroin, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She says many people misunderstand the work the physicians at Alliance Spine and Pain Centers do for their patients. "In dealing with the opioid crisis, now more than ever, it is important to engage your patients and explain what is happening and why the landscape of pain management is changing from what they once knew," she relates. "I explain to them, the aim is not to be pain-free, which is often
what many misunderstand in what we do. The goal is pain management – helping patients manage their chronic pain and not let it manage their lives. It means improving their function and quality of life at a tolerable pain level. Chasing a pain-free state and centering it on pain medications is what has led us to this opioid crisis." She says she was fortunate to receive training at Emory, where she learned to battle pain without depending solely on opioids. "It armed me with the knowledge and tools to be able to help patients at a more comprehensive level," she says. "Chronic pain is a beast to deal with, and there is not one magic bullet that can take it down, unfortunately. It will take a multi-modal approach to tackle the monster that affects so many to offer the best chance at success." Dr. Delille's plans for the future include continuing to grow the practices in the communities she serves – always aiming to do what is right, while helping her patients deal with their chronic pain."The difference in working with a small community is being closer to my mission as a pain physician and the real impact it can make," she smiles. "Compared to a larger population, helping these patients is, in fact, helping the entire community. It is wonderful. My advice to patients is to be ready for a journey trying many things, and to not lose hope. I will be right there fighting with you to win. WGW Alliance Spine and Pain Centers is a valued advertising partner of West Georgia Woman magazine.
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Daily Fare With
e s o R f e Ch
Chef photos by Keith May
Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn. 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.
28Recipe photos by Mark Steffey.
“Irish� Nachos Ingredients 1 large russet potato
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 lb. cooked corned beef
1/4 cup chopped green onion 1/4 cup sour cream
Preparation Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
"
Celebrate St. Patrick's day with a fun and festive appetizer that the whole family will love.
Slice potato into 1/4-inch rounds. Cover with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a cast iron skillet or on a baking pan without much overlap so the potatoes will cook as evenly as possible. Bake for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove potatoes from oven and cover with your favorite shredded cheese and chopped corned beef. Place back in oven and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with green onions and sour cream. Serves 4
"
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” Jump into spring with a fresh green salad that’s zesty, refreshing and vegan friendly. ”
Everything Green Salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Bring a medium pot of water with a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of baking A pinch of baking soda soda to a boil over high heat. Add green peas, asparagus and 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped baby spinach leaves sugar snap peas. Boil 2 to 3 minutes. 1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves Drain and rinse well with cold 2 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves water. 1 firm and ripe avocado, cubed Whisk together shallots, oil, rind, juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a 3 tablespoons minced shallots large bowl. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Add blanched vegetables, spinach, 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind parsley, mint and cubed avocado. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Toss gently to combine. 1 tablespoon dijon mustard Serves 8. WGW 12 ounces sugar snap peas
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3/4 teaspoon salt
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Are You Lying to Yourself? The Importance of Self Awareness
If we do not learn to at least attempt to curb our tendencies toward self-deception, our true selves suffer the consequences as we are pushed further away from real, authentic and lasting happiness.
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arge or small, whether it is meaningful or meaningless, we humans lie to ourselves ... a lot. We've all done it, and sometimes our levels of self-deception can be remarkably astounding if we are, ahem, honest with ourselves. We often go to great lengths to conceal our true motives by creating quite sophisticated justifications for why we do the things we do or live the way we live. But, why do we lie to ourselves? Wouldn't it be great if we could face the truth about who we really are and just tell it like it is? "Humans are masters of self-deception," says Cortney S. Warren, Ph.D. "We fool ourselves into believing things that are false, and we refuse to believe things that are true. In fact, we lie to ourselves about everything from why we like wearing designer clothing instead of non-name brand fashion to how our childhood influenced our choice of romantic partners. And, most of the time, we are completely unaware of the rampant lying going on in our own minds." True self-awareness can be very difficult to achieve. First, we have to manage our own cognitive bias (a mental habit or thought process that gets in the way of thinking logically. For example, "I have no evidence to prove this is true, but, because all of my friends believe this, so do I.") Next, we have to deal with our own experiences and beliefs we were exposed to as children and finally, we must manage all of the cultural and societal beliefs we've embraced over the years just so we can be accepted in society.
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Overcoming Self-deception • Face your fears. Have you ever stayed at a job too long? How about a friendship or romantic relationship? We've all done it, and
Just Want to Feel Better? You’re Not Alone.
Individual Therapy • Family Therapy Group Therapy
678.754.5840 Cheryl A. Francis LPC, CPCS Certified MHFA Instructor
5000 Austell Powder Springs Rd Suite 222 • Austell, Ga.
cheryl@heartmatterswellness.com
Dr. Howard Seeman
Dr. Thelma Lucas
Dr. John Arledge
Dr. Prashant Sharma
Dr. Peter Ojuro
we also know that ignoring situations that we dislike or are blatently wrong for us will not make the problems go away. It can be challenging to just admit to yourself that what you're doing isn't working for you, but the fear of the unknown can keep you stuck in the most undesirable situations. Although the fear is very real to you, it's better to face it head-on than to spend your life stuck in a situation you know is wrong for you. • Examine your intentions. Sometimes we try to justify our actions when we aren't comfortable with accepting our flaws. If you are being self-centered and that doesn't fit in with your own self image, then you will justify the behavior by telling yourself, "I deserve this." Sometimes we will lie to ourselves about the true reasons behind our behavior, pretending what we are doing is due to a higher purpose, when in reality, we are only serving our own selfish needs and desires. If you are honest with yourself and accept that you are a flawed human being who is sometimes selfish and lazy, you will be empowered to behave differently if you choose to later on.
Susan Prescott, NP
Corie Price, NP
• Look for clues. If you catch yourself in the act of self-justification, that is a clue that you are lying to yourself. If you truly accept yourself as you are, self-justification will not be necessary. Another clue is when you find yourself hoping for, or becoming attached to, a specific outcome such as ignoring red flags, relationship warning signs and excusing poor behavior from those you want a relationship with or care about. If you have to make excuses for someone elses bad behavior, you are not being honest with yourself. • Keep it real. Make a commitment to yourself to try to be as authentic and honest with yourself as much as possible. Be pragmatic, instead of beating yourself up or overanalyzing your behavior and realize that being true to yourself isn't as easy as it seems – especially when there is something important at stake. Facing the truth about yourself can sometimes be painful, but it can also be very rewarding because it means you are willing to embrace change in your life. Striving for an authentic and happier life is something we all benefit from in the long run. WGW
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Womentality
“No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.” – Sheryl Crow
Photo by Mingle Media TV [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
Inspiring quotes by extraordinary women “Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer.” – Anita Krizzan
“Despite the forecast, live like it's spring.”
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity – Lilly Pulitzer would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet
“So I am not a broken heart. I am not the weight I lost or miles I ran, and I am not the way I slept on my doorstep under the bare sky in smell of tears and whiskey because my apartment was empty, and if I were to be this empty, I wanted something solid to sleep on. Like concrete. I am not this year and I am not your fault. I am muscles building cells, a little every day, because they broke that day, but bones are stronger once they heal, and I am smiling to the bus driver and replacing my groceries once a week, and I am not sitting for hours in the shower anymore. I am the way a life unfolds and blooms and seasons come and go, and I am the way the spring always finds a way to turn even the coldest winter into a field of green and flowers and new life. I am not your fault.” – Charlotte Eriksson 34
Local Happenings
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 WellStar Douglas Hospital, 8954 Hospital Dr. in Douglasville, in the Sycamore Room from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This program is open to all girls ages 10 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.
GriefShare at Tabernacle Baptist Church Utilizing a video seminar, support group and workbook, each of the 13 weekly GriefShare meetings center around a topic important to the grief recovery process. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each evening. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Room 256, Carrollton, Ga. Classes are free. Participation workbooks are $15. For more information on GriefShare, call or text John Pearson at 404.368.2746.
DivorceCare at Tabernacle Baptist Church Utilizing a video seminar, support group, and workbook, each of the 13 weekly DivorceCare meetings center around a topic important to your recovery process. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each evening. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Room 260, Carrollton, Ga. Classes are free. Participation workbooks are $15. For more information on DivorceCare, call or text John Pearson at 404.368.2746.
Carroll EMC Announces Promotion of James Layton James Layton has been promoted to vice president of engineering and technology, effective Jan.1, 2019. James began his career at Carroll EMC in 2006
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as a system engineer, with primary responsibility for system planning. Since that time, he has been entrusted with increased levels of technical and leadership responsibilities, including his most current role as manager of system engineering. James’ leadership and technical skills have been instrumental to Carroll EMC’s success in technology implementation and innovation for the last decade. Technology is changing rapidly and will play an increasingly important role in the future of the electric industry. James’ skills will continue to be an asset to Carroll EMC in this capacity. James lives in Carrollton with his wife, Kari. They have two children, Levi and Leah, and attend Southern Hills Christian Church. 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 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.
James Layton
Richards Receives Service to Mankind Award Laura Richards has been honored by the Carroll County and Carrollton Evening Sertoma (Service To Mankind) Clubs with the Service To Mankind Award for 2018. The award recognizes local philanthropists for their works in the community and at large. As a native of Carrollton, Laura has been a community leader for volunteerism and outreach for much of her life, even while studying and working abroad. During 2009, she had a vision of building a paved beltway around Carrollton for walking, running and biking. It would connect schools, businesses and recreational facilities and would have no socio-economic boundaries. By 2011, her vision became a reality as the Friends of the Carrollton Greenbelt was formed through the Community Foundation of West Georgia. As founder
and chair, she would oversee the development and construction of the 18-mile recreational trail, which was completed by 2016. It is the largest greenspace initiative undertaken by the City of Carrollton and currently the largest paved trail system in Georgia. “Laura and her family have positively impacted our community in so many ways,” said Jim Gill, past president for Sertoma International and the Carroll County Sertoma Club. “Her passion for greenspace and conservation is rivaled by few. This award is long overdue.” Laura’s interest in greenspace and conservation is nothing new. She has served as a member of the Georgia and Alabama Land Trust, a member of the national board for Trust for Public Land and the PATH Foundation in Atlanta. She has also received numerous awards for her efforts including the Karl T. Steiner Award for Service to Anthropology from UWG, the Carroll County Chamber Beautification Award, Georgia Recreation & Parks Association Volunteer of the Year, and most recently, Road Runners of America recognized the Greenbelt while designating Carrollton a “Top-5 Runner Friendly Community” in the nation. Laura continues to support the Alice Huffard Richards Charitable Fund, Tanner Medical Foundation and the Carroll County Board of Health while she and her husband, Jim Naughton reside between Carrollton, Georgia and New York City, New York. Sertoma (Service to Mankind) was established in 1912 as the Cooperative Club in Kansas City, Missouri. Now, Sertoma clubs can be found throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Historically, the organization has focused on speech and hearing health problems, particularly in children, but has since adopted programs targeting drug-use education and projects promoting freedom and democracy to school-aged children. Local Sertoma clubs also sponsor and support teen and collegiate clubs in area schools.
Laura Richards with Jay Gill, Past President for the Carroll County Sertoma Club.
WGTC Foundation Awards Scholarships The West Georgia Technical College Foundation awarded 53 students with nearly $26,000 in scholarships for Spring Semester 2019. In addition, the WGTC Foundation guaranteed over $33,000 to its gap funding program. This project was partially funded thanks to a Community Impact Fund matching grant from the Community Foundation of West Georgia and additional funding provided by the TCSG Foundation. With these resources and local WGTC Foundation funding, 101 students had their Spring Semester 2019 tuition guaranteed. The gap funding program was started in 2018 to fill the “gap” in a student’s ability to fully fund his or her education at WGTC. The gap funding program is sustainable as students repay their grant amounts to the WGTC Foundation before the end of the semester. Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at WGTC Kelsey Jones said, “The WGTC Foundation is so humbled to be investors in the educational journey of many students here at WGTC. We are doubly fortunate to have very engaged partners in education who contribute each year to our scholarship and gap funding programs, making these life-changing stories possible.” Morgan Cooper received the WGTC Foundation Scholarship. “There are some semesters where I wonder how I will have enough money to pay the upcoming semester fee by the deadline,” she said. “This scholarship will help me tremendously and it will allow me to have the spring semester’s balance almost fully paid. This couldn’t have come at a better time.” Scholarships are offered each semester to students in a variety of programs and locations at WGTC. For more information about scholarship opportunities available, please visit our website at https://www.westgatech.edu/discover-wgtc/ foundation/foundation-scholarship/. To learn more about establishing or contributing to a scholarship fund, please contact Kelsey Jones at kelsey.jones@ westgatech.edu. West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit westgatech.edu.
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Mitchell, Mary Miller
Carroll EMC awards Bowdon Elementary School teacher Lindsay Rogers with a Bright Ideas grant. Photo by Carroll EMC.
Carroll EMC Awards 2018 Bright Ideas Grants Carroll EMC recently awarded grants to local educators to fund creative and innovative educational projects for students in their classrooms. Grants of up to $1,000 were awarded to public school teachers, teaching grades Pre-K – 12, for projects in any subject. Bright Ideas grants are funded through the donations of Carroll EMC Members who participate in Operation Round Up®, a program where Members elect to “round-up” their electric bills to the nearest dollar. The program is overseen by Carroll EMC Foundation trustees and funds a variety of community service projects including Bright Ideas, student scholarships, and many health and human services programs. For 2018, 104 grants were awarded, totaling $78,924. These grants will help 104 teachers in 41 schools and will affect hundreds of children in our communities.
Included in this funding cycle were: Bay Springs Middle School – Connie Reddish Bowdon Elementary School – Pat Browning,
Debra Phillips, Lindsay Rogers, Beth Herring, Laurie Strawn, Jamie Martin Bowdon Middle School – Kelly Ogles Carrollton Elementary School – Annette Perkins, Amy Ware, Jessica Dietsch, Devonne Cooper/Tracey Morris, Tracey Cleek, Jessica Payne, Lisa Hines, Tamara Wooten Carrollton Middle School – Moses Slurano-
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Jensen
Carrollton High School – Scott Johnson, Tim Hawig, April Bagby, David Bryson Central Elementary – Dana Pearce, Nicole Robinson, Ashley Widener, Courtney Chastain, Megan Foster, Amy Baxter, Kate Nicholson, Andrea Brown Central Middle School – Dena Siek, Dana Sharp Central High School – Heather Robertson, Laura Williford, Cynthia Landon Glanton-Hindsman Elementary – Amanda Eskew, Monica Brown Ithica Elementary – Bridgett Corbett Mt Zion High School – Heather Morse Providence Elementary – Amber
Roopville Elementary – Kimberly Thomas Sandhill Elementary – Missy Calas, Ruth Smith,
Carly Collins
Sharp Creek Elementary – Tara Ferguson, Amy Hilton
Temple Elementary – Brittany Reck Temple Middle School – Dan Saurino, Penelope
Saurino, Teresa Steele, Colleen Mount, Liz Banks, Adam Scurr Temple High School – Wanda Sumner, Sabrina Thompson, Latoya Thomas, Teresa Pope Villa Rica Elementary School – Geoffrey Harden Villa Rica Middle School – Robin Phillips Villa Rica High School – Emily Tucker, Annie Butler, Carl Jordan, Stephanie Miles, Shara Yarbrough Whitesburg Elementary – Jennifer Saylor, Kim Wilson
Applications for 2019 will be accepted beginning July 1 and can only be submitted via the cooperative’s website, carrollemc.com. 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 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.
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10 Simple Ways to Give Your Home a
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Spring Makeover
T
he birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. Spring is almost here, and that means it’s time to decorate your home for the beautiful season of rebirth. To start breaking out of the winter rut, throw open the windows and follow these 10 tips to help you redo your home with a fresh new look. 1. Begin with a clean slate. Start by cleaning out all of the grime and dirt from your home that winter left behind. Scrub the floors and wash the windows to allow the sunlight through. Also, unclutter cabinets, countertops and tables. You’ll be amazed at how swiftly your home feels renewed once it has had a deep cleaning. 2. Organize before decorating. Banish the winter by gathering your heavy coats, hats, gloves, scarves, ice scrapers and other winter survival items and relocate them to an isolated area, such as the garage or basement. Switch out your seasonal wardrobes and move your sweaters, boots and other winter clothing to storage. By reorganizing your living space, you’ll achieve a whole new outlook for spring.
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3. Perk up your pillows. Fabrics like silk, velvet, and tweed are fine-looking all year round, but they can be quite heavy for the warmer spring months. For your spring makeover, buy or create new pillow shams for your throw pillows. Switch out your darker, Women’s Auto Clinic. heavier pillows with bright Women’s Concierge Service. patterns and colors made with breezy fabrics, 770.832.9465 such as printed cotton and linen, to brighten up 134 Bankhead Ave., Carrollton your home. www.lamberttirecompany.com 4. Create an accent wall. Spring is an excellent time to paint the interior of your home, as you can throw open your windows and bring in the fresh air. You can paint an accent wall with soft pastels or bold hues. This dramatic transformation requires only a can of paint and a few accessories to complement your new hue. 5. Sharpen up your shelves. Try to relieve the monotony of those endless rows of books. Sort your books by subject or size, line them up in innovative patterns or by color coding. If you have boxed bookshelves, you can decorate the inside shelving unit with a interesting and dramatic wallpaper or paint them with bold hues. Replace some of the darker accessories on your shelves with lighter colored items or glass vases. 6. Lighten up your living room. Start by swapping out your darker furniture for lighter, spring-hued chairs. Cover your furniture with slipcovers made of lighter fabrics with brighter colors and beautiful spring patterns. Replace your heavy draperies with bright and colorful window shades and curtains. Readymade window treatments are a low-cost way to update your living space, and can make a
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Honoring the Customs and Traditions of the Communities Where We Live and Serve. huge impact in your home. 7. Bring the garden inside. Spring is all about lush foliage, blooming flowers and green grass. You can bring the outside indoors by filling vases with beautiful blooms and placing them on mantles, tables and window sills. If you don't want to annoy your allergies any worse than spring already does, you can obtain a similar effect with a mix of stylish artificial flowers and plants. 8. Revive the bedroom. With the arrival of spring, you are probably thinking of changing out your winter-themed bed skirts, comforters or duvets. Switch these out with cooler cottons, lighter-colored florals and sheers. Accessorize with beautiful accent pillows to give your bedroom a whole new spring look. You don't have to match your fabric colors exactly. When you mix and match colors that have the same temperature and vibrancy, they will complement each other and look great together. 9. Breathe new life into your bathroom. Simply replacing your shower curtain with a colorful new design can revamp the most boring bathroom. Incorporate sheers or bamboo blinds for your window to allow light
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to peep in while still retaining your privacy. Add matching towels and new bathmat as a finishing touch. 10. Lose old lampshades. Replacing lampshades is a simple, low-cost and effective way to bring a touch of spring indoors. New lampshades can add a bright and graceful touch to side tables, bedside tables, sideboards and desks. Spring is the time to enjoy longer, brighter and sunnier days. Adding these simple but stylish touches to your living space will bring new life with the changes of the season into your home. WGW
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Kids Korner
Super Fun Shamrock Coasters
C
elebrate St. Patrick's Day with these adorable and easy crafts that even the youngest of children can make with ease. These super fun shamrock coasters will protect your furniture and add a bit of Irish flair to your home. The pot o' gold favors are a great treat to make for school parties, and the shamrock refrigerator magnets are a festive way to display your little ones' St. Patrick's Day artwork. Materials
By Charlene Brooks Photos by Zachary Dailey
Instructions Glue the foam shamrock to the wooden block. Place a shamrock sticker in the middle of the foam shamrock. Allow to dry.
Wooden square blocks from your local craft store Green foam shamrocks Shamrock stickers Glue
Delicious Pot o' Gold Favors
Materials
Small white bucket Gold chocolate coins Shamrock stickers Instructions Decorate bucket as desired. Fill with gold chocolate coins. Give to friends and family.
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Easy Shamrock Refrigerator Magnets Materials Wooden shamrocks from your local craft store Magnets Glue Shamrock stickers
Instructions Glue magnet to the back of the wooden shamrock. Decorate as desired. Place on refrigerator and use to display your St. Patrick's Day artwork. WGW
Sunday, March 10, Daylight Savings Time Begins. Remember to Change Your Batteries in All Smoke Alarms in Your Home Dedicated Healthcare When You Need It Most • 770.832.9689 45
Luck O' The Irish Word Search Word Bank
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Green St. Paddy's Day Bagpipes Leprechaun Mischievous Tradition Holiday Irish Lucky Rainbow Gold Shamrock Patrick Little People Gaelic Jig Good Luck Coins Brogue Blarney
Word search created at puzzle-maker.com
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2018 SIERRA DENALI 1500
JOHN THORNTON GMC 1492 N Park St (Hwy 27) Carrollton GA 30117 770.832.9602 www.johnthorntonbuickgmc.com 48