[RWP] Reaper Glitch?

[Indigo]

Today I had a seamlessly looping midi rhythm item all finished, and was 
just about to record it to an audio track, but when I arrowed back to 
the midi track, the item was gone.
Not only that, but the plug, Alchemy Player, had lost connection with my 
midi keyboard.
I can't imagine any action that I did that would both delete the midi 
item and somehow close the VST plug.
I sifted through undo in the edit menu; trying to find a delete item, 
and went all the way back to insert Virtual Synth, and there was no 
delete that I did.
Have you had anything like this happen?
Is there a method of protecting a completed midi item, so it can't be 
accidentally deleted?
You can bet that next time I'll be sure to remember to save the midi 
item, once it's complete, before going on with recording it to an audio 
track.
Thanks,
Indi