Hello Sil,
What a great passionate review. I really enjoyed it
Sorry to hear of your difficulties, and how it affects your imaging. You mentioned that imagining higher in the sky was difficult as the 800e doesn't have a flip out screen. You could use a small (tiny) 5 or 7inch monitor from the HDMI output of the 800e, now available for possibly $100-200. These work for HDMI out to an external recorder and should also be OK for monitoring live view, but best to check first. These often have arms to mount from your tripod. I think they are a great idea also because they increase the screen size to help focusing.
Best
JA