Cathe, adding my well wishes to this outpouring of support you have received, which is so well-deserved. Happy Holidays to you and yours as you rest and recover.
We have an LG washer (front load) and dryer from Costco. Our second set of LGs and they have served us well. We are a large family and run lots of loads of laundry.
I personally would select a smooth tile or laminate surface in your budget instead of carpet. You can purchase puzzle mats or a gorilla mat to place over the surface and provide more cushion for your joints.