AeroJoe, I ride both uprights and recumbents...and will probably continue to do so. They're all good. They're all fun.
You sound very reluctant to go in the recumbent direction which is fine. A lot of great advice has been offered in this thread and by following up on it you will most likely find yourself back up on that saddle again soon.
I hope you're able to stay with upright bikes as they seem to be your preference. If you choose to investigate recumbents there are a lot of folks here and elsewhere who can send you off in the proper direction to find out what works for you. Either way, keep us posted on your progress.