I too share it. However it's not a sickness. It's not a desire either. It's instinct.
People often wonder what kind of a person it takes to become a combat medic, firefighter, civil servant, social worker, or an EMT. I know the kind of person it takes, because I am that person. I can't stand to see things hurt; be it emotionally scarred, or physicly. I feel the same way about machines. I feel sad, I feel hurt, and I feel sorry for mechanical things that no longer function as they once did. I try not to go to junk-yards often, because often I walk out depressed.
I'm not sure what it is inside of me, but I have been known to try to 'fix' people. When I can't 'fix' them, I end up getting dragged down with them, and then I'm the one who needs 'fixing'. I'm glad to see that you didn't get dragged along with her.
If we treat the machines well, and take care of them, one can assume that they'll take care of us when they start running the world. Screw zombies, I'm worried more about the robots.