Support James Gaines' Stroke Recovery Journey

Blessing to All,

My names is Marsha Hutcherson and I have created this account on behalf of our family to help the Recovery of James Gaines Hemorrhagic Stroke/ Traumatic Left Brain Injury.

My fiancé, James Gaines, suffered a Hemorrhagic Stroke on March 6, 2024 due to high blood pressure (Hypertension). Around about 9pm, James wanted to make the family a Lemon Cream Cheese Pie. We didn’t have all of the ingredients at home, so he needed to go up the road to Dollar General to purchase everything he needed. Unfortunately, on his returned home. James was having a stroke while operating our family car. He ran into a tree between our neighbor's home and our home. By God's grace, my neighbor heard some loud music playing jumped up to see where it was coming from, that's when he found James wedged between the car door facing the ground unresponsive. He immediately called 911. By the time I was notified. James was already rushed off to the nearest hospital in Lebanon, Tennessee. With the severity of his condition, James had to be transferred to Vanderbilt Medical in Nashville, TN. He had to have emergency surgery called (Craniotomy) due to the amount of blood that was on his brain. His left bone flap was removed from the skull to make repairs in the brain. This surgery was a life-saving. It help reduces complications caused by pressure on his brain from blood (extra fluid) or swelling. Again with God Grace and Mercy, James is here with us today! After surgery, James is now in his Healing stage. Over the course of his time in Vanderbilt Medical Hospital, James still have (weakness/numbness) and no movement affecting the right side of his body also still unable to speak. While we were there, I had to make some life changing decision not only for James, but for myself as well. He had to undergo 2 procedures. A Tracheostomy -(a procedure to help air and oxygen to reach his lungs by creating an opening onto the trachea (windpipe) from the outside and his neck. The second one is called a (PEG) - a procedure to place a feeding tube. The tube allows him to receive nutrition directly through his stomach. Since those procedures has taken place. James has shown some signs of improvements. Working closely with the Case Management at the Hospital. James has been approved for a Critical Illness Recovery Hospital at Select Specialty Hospital in West Nashville. They specialize in helping critically ill patients breathe, speak, eat, walk and think as independently as possible.

Today makes Day 42 in the Hospital. James’s recovery is going to be a long and a hard process for me and my family. Right side still no movement and still unable to speak. Sometimes he follows commands and sometimes he has a look of confusion. One great improvement is that he’s breathing on his own. My biggest fear is that since I had to return back to work, and I can’t afford to pay a caregiver to sit with him for about 8 hrs. a day, 5 days a week. We both don’t have any family here, because we are both originally for Mobile, Alabama. So, this has been very challenging for me here alone trying to care for my fiancé. Next to come, we are looking at Speech therapy, Physical therapy, Cognitive therapy, Occupational therapy and etc. This trauma has left a long lasting impression on all of us. While we all continue to recover as a family, our main goal is to support James as much as possible. We as a family have always had an appreciation for life but this set back has shown us how precious and short it can possibly be. While we are trying to keep our heads afloat as we navigate the hardship we never anticipated. Any funds received will be used to provide for the scaled-back basic needs for James and me, such as mortgage/utilities, groceries, medical bills, and what we're hoping will be minimal accessibility modifications around the home. Any contributions big or small will be helpful. Let’s help James Recovery from this traumatic Stoke be successful. Thank you for all the Love, Prayers and Thoughts through this challenging time for me and my family.