Not able to access chat?

While this topic is not necessarily emtional support in itself, I do feel the ability to access the chat provides me with emotional support on a personal level.
First I was unable to access the chat because it told me the chat apparently didn't exist. Then I couldn't access because it said someone else was already logged on with my name. Now I can't access because it goes through the whole thing, lets me connect, loads the Java thingy and comes up blank. I may or may not be showing up in the chat but it's not showing on my screen. My surgery is in 3 days and I've already been unable to access the chat for over a week and I miss it. Does anyone else have this problem? Does anyone know how to fix it? I already did update Java when all this first started.
Thanks,

Ishy