updated and lost LibreOffice and all my docs

I updated LibreOfficeWriter last night and restarted my computer today. I lost the app entirely. I can’t get anything. I’ve lost all my documents. I’m trying to download again but I’m not having a lot of luck. Help!

And what is your computer? Window$, MacOS, Linux, other?
Which version did you ugrade to which?

Usually such a disaster results from storing your documents in the wrong location, such as some “internal” system folder instead of a user one. “Documents” or “My Documents” is a good choice.

When you tell you lost all your documents, how do you open them? Are you relying on the “Start Center”, the screen you get on LO launch displaying recently used files. If this is the case, your documents are still there. Open the file browser and go to the “Documents” or “My Documents” folder. Otherwise, search for .odt (Writer), .ods (Calc), … files to discover where you stored them.

Best is to reword your question. To do so: click on below it, then on the pencil icon. DON’T use an ANSWER to provide additional information. Answers are reserved for solutions. If you can’t edit your question, use a Comment.

Where from? Do you download from https://libreoffice.org?

If your documents are actually lost on your computer a new download of any LibO version can’t be a remedy.
Better search your file system very thorougly.

You can’t update Writer separately. LibO is one application.

Did you install your lost version of LibO yourself or did somebody else it for you? If you were helped: Ask that person.
Was your “old” LibO a substitute for a previously used MS program?

My documents are there. I can’t open them in another program that I’d prefer not to use. The other option is to restore my computer to an earlier date, say Friday or Saturday. I haven’t done that in years and not on this particular laptop. It was on my old desktop.

Maybe you are using Windows, why do we have to guess? If so see Change default apps in Windows - Microsoft Support

That program took over the file type associations for all kinds of office documents when it was updated. This is a well known trick to convert technically unskilled users.