I applied the patch, and started from the beginning again (third time) this time with a female character.  Playing the game after the patch feels very different.  Part the fact that the enemies now are much more generous with sould, and part the fact that the more you play the game the better you get at it, meant that I literally zoomed through the early parts of the game and reached (and swiftly overtook) my level of progress with my previous files.  I'm now stuck at beating the double boss at Annor Londo.  Laurel and fuckin Hardy.  This is a real bitch and I see no way of beating them anytime soon.  The problem is simply that there's two of them both of which require your full attention as they can one hit kill you.  I could make fast work of them both one on one ... dirty cheating tag team tactics