2 days later I was not done yet; my frustration level was on overload and I too was in praying to soon be in 'recovery mode'. I spent at least an hour on the phone with Verizon and they told me they couldn't help, call Apple. Another hour+ on the phone with Apple and they said go to a Verizon store. First Verizon store did not have the proper computer and they sent me to a second store. They told me my phone was corrupt and I had best call Customer Service to have them help me wipe it clean and put it back in 'factory settings'.
I stopped at the church on my way home to verify the business password. At that time Stacey did a little research and off we went to her office to hook the phone to iTunes and a half hour later the screen went blank, another dead end, another sigh and a boost in frustration.
I came home to call Verizon Customer Service. Another hour and they couldn't help, but connected me to an Apple representative. Another hour+ and he tried the same iTunes reset Stacey had tried. Again it went blank. But he suggested that I continue that same process over and over until the phone was restored to factory settings. I did it 7 more times (each time taking about 20 minutes) until the new phone was finally back to it's out of the box nothingness, the desired 'factory settings'.
My personal opinion is that Apple's ode to simplicity in set up is actually proving itself to be very difficult indeed. I did call Apple once again, speaking with two kind and patient tech folks. That lead to another hour of phone conversation and button pushing, which in turn led to more iCloud back-up. It seems to be about waiting, waiting, waiting....
Upgrading to a new phone or computer always seems to have a few glitches for those of us who do not breathe technology and have the techy, intuitive sense of a young person. Those folks 20+ and younger have had a smartphone as their constant companion. I have not. Today smartphones are a constant fixture in one's pocket and always within reach.They help keep us connected, informed and entertained... UNTIL they act up. For me it is my connectedness to Russ that matters. He can text and keeps me updated on his day when I am not around. I went through a gentle panic these last few days missing that capability. I would leave the house saying "Don't forget to use your call button (emergency) if you have a problem".
The draining saga is over, the new phone is up and running with all data transferred from my old phone to the new. I will put those umpteen hours of frustration behind me and look to the day with a new connectedness. PEACE.