iTunes 4.7.1 killed Kid Sister

I don't go anywhere without my iPod...hence why I named it "Kid sister," after the female version of "my buddy." For those of you that are old enough to remember the commercials - you understand..."wherever I go, she goes...kid sister and me." (Btw- I totally stole that from ALK b/c she calls her my buddy.) Anyway, understanding my attachment to Kid Sister, anyone can imagine how distressed I became when Kid Sister fell ill about a week ago. Here are the events that lead to her illness and unfortunate death:

1. I tried to buy beck's new album from itunes. In order to purchase, itunes made me upgrade to the new version.
2. In order to sync Kid Sister, to listen to new beck album, I had to download and run the new ipod software b/c it wasn't compatible with the new itunes.
3. Installing new ipod update took all day because it kept crapping out...then it crashed my machine. Unfortunately, Kid Sister was connected at time of crash with "do not disconnect" blinking at me. For future reference, when a machine crashes and restarts, the ipod thinks you have disobeyed it and it has been disconnected and…freaks out!
4. So, Kid Sister started doing crazy, crazy stuff and crashed, displaying the folder/triangle/exclamation point symbol which means - your ipod is jacked up.
5. I called the apple service number - but my 3 months phone service privilege has expired and in order to receive phone support, I have to pay $65. This is annoying and it seems a little ridiculous, almost as ridiculous as the $40 earphones I bought in December totally breaking two months later. (It isn't apple's fault that I had to buy them b/c my tiny ears are too small for the ones that came with the ipod, but COME ON $40 for earphones that die after a few months.)
6. Anyway, I was told by the “expensive phone consultant” that I need to go into the store and they can help me. So that afternoon, I head down to the Apple store only to find that you must make an appointment, which you can only do for the same day and all of the spots tend to fill up within an hour of the store opening…which meant I was going to have to get there early…
7. So, next day I show up at the store at 9:00 (it opens at 9:30) and am the 11th person in line to make an appointment. I put my name on the list and finally get to discuss my issue with a “genius” at the “genius bar” about an hour and a half later. After four and a half hours, the geniuses just decided to put Kid Sister to rest, give me a new ipod (now named Leon), and sent me on my way.
8. After about two hours, I’d gotten most of the songs back in place – EXCEPT the new Beck album. For some reason, it wouldn’t load. So, I reconnected to itunes to update Leon and guess what???? Exactly – return to number 2.

I spent most of the day yesterday trying everything I could think of to fix the problem and I think I’m almost there, but of course, itunes crapped out the last time I tried to update my songs…am going to figure this out…might need some help…am currently searching for someone who understands PCs, technology, itunes, and ipod and knows how desperate one feels after being alive for 4 entire days with no working ipod…am having trouble breathing.