I've felt your pain. Mine was self-induced. My first engine rebuild was on a '66 Mustang, 289 HiPo Fastback, when I was a teen-ager. Guy at the auto-parts store sold me rail-type rocker arms when I needed the flat type. Wore through the soft grommet holding the valve spring retainer in place and sucked a valve. Cracked the block and I still have the new piston with part of a valve sticking in it somewhere as a reminder to not trust the parts man implicitly.
Yours may not have been "self-induced", but I know how you're feeling right now. Take a break and give it another go (purse strings willing) ......
Regards,
Tom
