HELP!!!! SD Card I/O error???

[4monkeez]

Hi, I am just starting out learning digital photography. I have a Nikon D60. Tonight I was taking pics of a friend's sister's kids when the SD card just stopped working and 177 pictures disappeared?!!?! The computer will not even read the pics. Is there ANYTHING I can do to get those pics (they were coming out so cute and they are headed back to Kuwait so I cannot re-shoot) I AM DESPERATE!!!!! PLEASE HELP! I would like to know how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again...and can I get them back??? I would appreciate any and all ideas!!!! Hope this was the correct place to post....

Thanks!!!!

Kate