My esteemed coworker who also happens to be an IT wiz has been working on my laptop for the past few days.. it appears it's not dead...yipeeee and I will be able to get it back hopefully tonight!!!  
The absolute biggest blessing is that he was able to backup/save ALL my precious pictures...   a reminder to all of us who use digital...you MUST BACK UP your precious, priceless, irreplaceable images!!!!  I had been doing a few files here and there, but I am so very thankful that they are not lost... oh the agony and dispair I have been spared!!!  So plz, plz, plz backup your shtuff people!!
Hopefully the next time I get to gab atcha will be from my trusty friend Mr. Dell Laptop.... :) 
