Folders turned into Unix Executable File on my SDCard

I was just on vacation and took a ton of pictures. Using a card reader adapter USB dongle, I inserted the device into my Thunderbolt display connected to my Mac Mini. After finding the new device (and labelling it NO NAME), it immediately disappeared and ejected it. It reappeared, and I was able to navigate to the Folder that had my pictures to be able to copy them to my hard drive. I never got started with the process before it again disappeared (and I got the error again that it was not ejected properly). I removed and reinserted from the USB port, and now that one subfolder is a Unix Executable file. The Card Reader constantly finds and ejects repeatedly, so I cannot get very far in troubleshooting before it re-ejects it. I then took the same reader and put it into my Macbook Air, and the root folder DCIM is now also a Unix file and cannot navigate therefore into subfolders. The Macbook Air keeps the connection to the reader persistently. I am using OSX Mojave on both devices, so since the connection is persistent on my MB Air, thats what I will use to try to resolve this issue. I searched the forums and I didn't see any resolution to this issue. PLEASE help me retrieve all my pictures from vacation!!!!