If anyone has any further input it would be much appreciated! If I could get those 35 BTC back, or even the 17.5 BTC I'd be willing to send you half of it!

You can try the lazy man's recovery method.
-
https://blockchain.info/wallet/import-wallet[Edit: If you see any transactions without confirmations then either you didn't delete them or you somehow have peers that are still trying to re-broadcast them and your client is re-learning of them after you've deleted them.]