Depending on your keyboard, it might have a power save button, or a key with a WIndows logo on it (near the Control key) which might wake up the monitor. So might the spacebar or clicking the mouse.

If this doesn't work you'll need to borrow a monitor from a friend. Then go to Control Panel, Power Management, and change the monitor settings to NOT power down. If this works you'll use a bit more power but you'll have a usable monitor. But it's probably a bigger problem.

The one that broke down in the storm was probably hit by a power surge and half died, i.e. the internal menu might still be working but the connection getting signals from the computer might be gone. The one going really slow might also have had a signal problem, so that could be half dead, too. In this case changing the power settings won't help.

New monitors are quite cheap, even the flat screen ones. Or if money is an issue most computer shops have second hand working older style ones around $50.

Get a surge guard power board to connect your computer to.

Hope this helps a little.
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