Photo Stream didn't upload pictures for 6 months
Photo stream did not upload my pictures via icloud for 6 months and I didn't notice until now. When I try to upload them manually iphoto doesn't recognize that the pictures are there to upload, even though I can see them on my iphone. I believe iphoto thinks that these pictures have already be uploaded because it has folders such as "Photo Stream March 2018," but there are no photos in these folders. When I plug my phone into my mac and look under photos already uploaded the pictures in question also do not appear there.
I'm searching for a way to get these pictures and videos from my iphone to my computer. Better yet, I'm searching for a way to make sure that all of my photos and videos on my iphone make it securely to my computer. Help?
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014), High Sierra 10.13.6