James Tuten Recovery Fund

Hi, my name is Cassandra Tuten, and I’m here today to ask for your help with my father, James Edward Tuten, recent medical expenses. Up until Saturday, July 8th, 2023, he had been recovering in a hospital 317 miles away from his home in Summerville, SC. My family and I are reaching out, hoping you can help us with this financial burden.

On Monday, May 1st my father left his home in Summerville, South Carolina for a camping trip in Ormond Beach, Florida to celebrate his retirement from nursing. He was taking this trip with my brother, uncle, and cousin. Three days into their camping trip my father started to have issues with his breathing. My brother took him to the nearest hospital, where he was admitted that night, May 4th, for observations. The following day, May 5th, the issues with his breathing got worse and he was moved to the ICU, and then later that day had to be sedated and intubated to stabilize him, the stress of which would cause him a small stroke. He was later diagnosed with the flu and remained sedated and on a ventilator for nine days. On May 14th, Mother’s Day, doctors decided to extubate him. He was only off the ventilator for a few hours before having to be intubated again because his lungs could not pass secretions. On May 17th he had a tracheostomy. Three days later on May 20th his Trach became dislodged and his airway collapsed. He had to be intubated again, for a third time, and emergency surgery to have a chest tube put in because his right lung collapsed. He remained intubated for four days and on May 24th had his second trach put in. The following evening of May 25th his second Trach became dislodged and he was once again intubated for a fourth time. The following day, May 26th, he had his third and final trach put in. Due to the dislodgements of the previous two Trach, a hole has developed around the area between the trachea and the esophagus, which is located too high for surgical intervention. The doctors are confident it could heal on its own, but only time will tell. Thankfully there have been no issues with his third Trach becoming dislodged, and his breathing has improved. He had his third Trach removed on June 22nd and has been healing well. He still has a long road ahead of him though. He will remain on tube feeding until the hole in his throat heals. The next steps in his recovery can happen at his home in SC, where his wife Lisa Tuten can oversee his care.

He was thankfully discharged on the evening of Friday, July 7th, and is now recovering in his home.

Unfortunately, their insurance will be covering very little of his two month hospital stay, and covering none of the home care costs. The funds we can raise through this will go towards his medical expenses incurred over his two months in the hospital, and his recovery at home.

My father is a wonderful and caring person, who dedicated his life to taking care of others. He worked as a nurse in Oncology for nine years. He taught nursing for five years. He would eventually go into Hospice Nursing, where he worked for eight-teen years. During his final years of being a hospice nurse, he would also take on becoming the full-time caretaker for my grandparents for four years until their passing. This camping trip was supposed to be his retirement send-off into some well-deserved rest and relaxation but has become a nightmare instead.

My family and I will appreciate whatever you can give towards his recovery. Thank you very much.