Glad to hear you're OK and safe!
I have several years of experience on the oars of toons and catarafts, but not on a kayak.
I am about to be introduced to the world of kayak fishing very soon as I plan to buy my first kayak next week sometime. I've demo'd a few to get a feel for what I wanted and I can say it's a different world than fishing from a cataraft / drift boat, etc.
I cannot, just like you, stress the importance of a quality-made PFD. Spend the extra dollars on a good one and one that's comfortable. If you buy one that's really not comfortable, you're apt not to wear it as often, if at all. Buy a good PFD and wear that joker all the time.

Your story should remind all of us who enjoy combining our fishing with a boat to wear our PFD's.