You should feel really good about having the courage to make that phone call! I know how scary it can be to deal with collection people when you don't really know what you are entitled to ask for and whether they're going to be mean to you or help you out. I don't see how reducing your interest rate and payments can be a bad thing, maybe you will find a better solution in the future but this is still a great step for you so congrats!

Maybe your boyfriend was short with you because he is sad about his dog, it couldn't hurt to cut him a little slack if he's feeling down. You could let him and your mom know that you don't need them to agree with your decision but you would like to feel that they're proud of you for being proactive. Do they have any different suggestions instead of just telling you you did it wrong?

It might also help to talk to a non-profit credit counseling agency to find out about your options. The Dept. of Justice has a database of approved agencies that they use for bankruptcy cases, this might be a good place to start: U.S. Trustee Program/Dept. of Justice

Good luck!