How do I repair my desktop AND dashboard after everything else failed?

Hello,
I tried finding a thread with my problem here on MacSupport, but those solutions didn't work and weren't exactly my laptop problems.
I'm using a 2010 MacBook Pro. I had recently updated to the Maverick OS, and the only real problem I was experiencing was some lag in starting up, loading up programs, switching between my desktops, etc. It wasn't a bother.
However, starting a week or two ago, my laptop would just freeze while I was studying, listening to Pandora. In which case I'd have to hard reset my laptop. This happened at least once a day.
Just yesterday (Dec 6), as I finished taking my exam (using ExamSoft/SofTest - required by the school) my laptop froze. I again had to hard reset. The laptop was operational, but I noticed two big problems after I left the test site:
Problems
My desktop is unresponsive. I can't click, drag, select, right click, create a new folder, and all my icons have disappeared. However, when I spotlight my Desktop folder, all my programs, files, and shortcuts are still there. It's a bit inconvenient to search, open Desktop, and then open the file I need to.
My widgets along with my Dashboard has disappeared! I had some pertinent info regarding my classes in my notes, but I have no way to access them. Before I would just 3 finger swipe to the far left, hot corned, of F4'd to access my dashboard. Not anymore. Mission Control from System Preferences shows Dashboard as "Off" no matter how many times I change it.
What I tried
I did as much reading up as I could afford (I still have 1 exam before the end of my term), and the posted solutions both here and elsewhere haven't been satisfactory for the issue I'm experiencing.
Relaunched Finder
Restarted the laptop
In System Preferences, Dashboard was "Off," switched that to "As Overlay," and "As Space," and it reverted to "Off"
Moved Dashboard app icon from Applications to the dock, clicked it, right clicked it
Mission controlled (hot corner) from the desktop to add more desktops and hopefully add back Dashboard (I was getting a bit desperate)
In Disk Utility: I verified the Disk and then repaired the Disk.
In Disk Utility: I verified the Disk permissions and then repaired the Disk permissions.
I updated from OSX Maverick to OSX Yosemite.
Kept the laptop off overnight (6 hours)
And many other things like CtrlR/S during rebooting
Reboot as Safe Mode
One of the things I read about that I haven't done is Archive and Reformat, and I really don't want to do that, especially at this time.
Additional Info
When I created a new account, I was able to FINALLY "right click" from my Trackpad (I don't have a mouse), and create a new folder on the desktop! However, Dashboard would STILL not work. And of course none of my files and programs are in the second account.
I fly home in 4 days from med school so that I can finally go to my Mac store in Cali, but I'd like to try get this seemingly small technical error fixed.

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You have not indicated what remedies you may have already tried outside of the setup Assistant Tip, so I am assuming you have not yet tried anything.
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