Remember the movie "Demolition Man", with Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock? Remember the scene where she puts the headset on Stallone, so they can have "cybersex"?? You need one of those. That way you don't roll over on your laptop again.
If you're ready to spend $500 to fix your laptop, then I'm sure an extra $277 won't hurt you as much in the long run. Not only do you get a new laptop, but you save yourself from the hassle of repairing an old laptop. And who's to say it won't happen again. $500 + $500 is $1,000! Get a new laptop. I wouldn't repair mine if it cost $500.