Yikes! What have I done to my yews?

The last couple of years I've let my front hedges go. I got busy planting a shade garden and working on other areas of the yard and the yews trimming project got pushed to the wayside. Here is my "before" shot, it doesn't look much like the example pictures in the MN Landscape Association catalog! In fact, it looks more like Cousin It after a Tilt-a-Whirl ride!

Like a good master gardener, before I picked up my pruning shears, I read my books and checked out the Web. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0628.html

When I started the project, I used hand shears and trimmed here and snipped there. Being careful to trim out the winter damage. It still wasn't quite "in shape." So I got out the big clippers --- then --- went a little crazy. The document said it could stand 'heavy pruning." But when I got out the Sawzall, maybe I went overboard. I probably took off 50% of the branches.

By the time I felt my inward Edward Scissorhands, there were three bundles of branches AND a bag full of side trimmings on the ground.

The yews are more open. Much breathing room for those new branches. But will they grow? Is the plant damaged?

Have you ever had an over-pruning-experience? What's been your luck? Please tell me my shrubbery will come back!