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From your solid questions, it seems to me that you actually have a very good grasp of when forward progress ends - you just have a disagreement with the fairness of the rules that tell you to go by forward progress.
It is not our position to determine the fairness of the set of rules we live by - it is our position to implement those rules. I do agree with you that often this particular rule tends to favor the offense - but it is what it is, and it seems to be that the powers-that-be have their reasons for wanting it implemented this way.
As to your question number 1 - if the runner regains his own ability to run and re-establishes his own momentum, his initial forward progress no longer applies. However, if he's hit before able to re-establish control of himself, you have to give him the initial forward progress spot.
On 3), I side with the way the rule is written over the opinion you stated - for this reason: If the rules were written so that your method was what we go by, defenders could mob/push a runner, but not let him fall, and cause him to lose a great number of yards. This doesn't seem fair.
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