Originally Posted by
Campag4life
Using the derailleur as a hanger bended at any point is very BAD advice. What to do if you are on the road and your bike tips over and falls on the hanger...or you get in a crash and need to get home?
Why I did precisely what the OP did. I used the derailleur as a lever and eyeballed the alignment well enough to make it home.
I take the OP at his word that his bike shifts "as good as it ever has, maybe even better". FB's advice to check the inside limit screw is good, and I agreed w/it. The derailleur itself is probably undamaged. One-time use as a lever isn't likely to hurt it.