Great! I'm at about 16.5 hours and my last session (Friday) I finally skated the whole session laced to the top hook. I know what you mean, just when they were starting to feel really good and I was doing all my jumps again, I laced that top hook and felt like a beginning again! But I knew I had to get through it, so just spent a whole day bending, bending, bending. My coach has me doing a lOT of back slaloms. That really helps get into the bend.
The biggest adjustment for me, was actually a surprise. It was the new BLADE, not the boot! Apparently, the rocker on my old blades was so bad, or worn down, or something that I had gotten used to it that way. When I first stepped on the ice with the new blade, I felt like I was on hockey skates! My whole center of balance was suddenly different! But I will say, that after struggling for the past 9 months, my spins are starting to come back again!
So overall, it's going very well! Thanks for asking!
Keep on bending those knees!