[Q] question on 4.4.4, OTA updates and Samsung Gear2 topic

Hello.

I was merrily using my Samsung note 3 and my gear 2 over on Page Plus, and then I decided to switch that combo to be my main phone setup because I liked it so much. I moved the phone to my Verizon plan instead of moving the number to my Page Plus account, and that my be my undoing...

My phone received an update to 4.4.4 and I, being new to android, downloaded it. Now my battery life is horrible, and my very favorite app for the Gear 2 (Pattern Dialer) doesn't work. (now it dials the call, but the call connects through the phone, instead of through the watch)

So- what are my options here? I gather that I can't go back now that I accepted the poison, er-update. Is that true?

I am planning on doing a hard reset to see if that improves the battery life, and uninstalling Skype. Is there anything else I can do?

I sent an e-mail to the developer of Pattern Dialer, do you think is is possible to fix that problem?

And last, but not least- If the phone were to somehow to get back to 4.3, how do I block OTA updates in the future?

So super frustrated that Verizon can break my phone! I was so happy before! :crying:
Thanks so much for your help.