Okay, MAC,
First off, This is a pretty old kit and sometimes the parts don't fit well. That could account for some of the seams that we see, and then sometimes we just want to get the model done and over with and end up rushing through to the finish. I know we have all done that at some point in our modeling (me, more than once) hobby, but any modeler here will say to take your time and work on the finishes (seams, glue spots, etc.) That's basic no matter what you are modeling.
Painting this big bird with a brush takes more guts than I have so kudos to you. I understand you just had eye surgery, so as the vision improves i would expect the finer detailing on the model to improve also.
As for decaling we all made those mistakes at one point or another, my biggest problem was which way those little "no step" decals are supposed to face. One thing i did notice is the carrier film on the decals was brownish due to age which really makes them stand out on the model. One trick that i have heard of is to put them in a ziploc bag and set them in a sunny place i.e. a window sill. In a few days they are supposed to clear up. Now, I have never tried this so i can not say for certain if that would work, perhaps someone here has more experience with that than I.
All in all it is not a bad Phantom, it looks rock solid, if this is your first plane and you enjoyed the build then make another, that is the only way to improve. Don't take critique as a personal attack we only say this to help with your next build and we do hope you make another.
-Stephen