ARGHHHH!!!

I was just getting ready to introduce you all to Branching Out. We had gone to a softball game today where we knit - fitting on Knit in Public Day- eh? And she was looking so fluffy and beautiful. I was getting a bit tired but decided - just one more row. Finished the row and then counted - off by one stitch! Uh oh! Well, I thought I could be smart and just knit back a few rows- I tried this and the number of stitches on the needle kept getting smaller, and smaller and smaller - till I had nothing similar to what the pattern said I should have. F*#K! I thought- and FROGGED THE WHOLE THING. Of course the yarn got stuck and I had to throw a part of the dang scarf away. Hopefully I will have enough to finish - if I ever do finish.

What are you supposed to do when knitting lace and you notice a mistake like this? I have no idea how I ended up one stitch short but I could have easily just made a stitch on the next row. I know this would have thrown the pattern off a bit - but that would have had to be better right? I am having panic attacks now of being on the 34th repeat out of 36 and making a mistake - no way would I want to frog at that point. Or even if I was somewhere in the middle. Come on all you experienced lace knitters - how do you deal with a problem like this?

Update: OK just now I went and read the Amazing lace blog- WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS BEFORE??? I found out that one answer to my problem would have been putting in a LIFELINE! Ok yes I am glad to know - for next time- but right now I could just light a fire to that mohair!!!!!!