BitLocker Recovery Key Required On Every Start Up

I know this is an old topic but I'll try to be as brief as possible. Last Friday (2-18-22) I called Dell Customer Care to cancel my monthly (payment) Service Plan, no longer needed and trying to save money. After ~ 15-20 minutes, the gentleman had cancelled the service. I left my laptop (Inspiron 7386) on as usual and didn't return until the next morning. I found that the pc was off and would not turn on. Finally, after holding the power button down about 35 seconds, the pc started but immediately asked for the BitLocker recovery key (a first). I went to another computer and looked up my Microsoft account and located the key. Entered the key and the start up began but I was now asked to set up a PIN number...I had always used the same one but apparently it cleared. I set up the same PIN and the start up completed. I thought all was well until I tried a Restart or Shutdown....each time being asked to input the BitLocker key. I'm sure there is a setting or something that will keep this from occurring each start up. I am not aware of anything beyond the cancelling my Service Plan that has occurred beyond a Support Assist update occasionally and again, nothing like this has occurred before. Call me crazy...thanks for any suggestions or help.