Not a bad way to avoid the women. Based on the size of the trunk, I think you could make a nice small tree if you can get the foliage to cooperate. I don't know anything about yew, so I can't help with that. I would build the entire tree from what is on the right hand side. In the meantime, come spring I would chop everythin on the left down as far as I could without removing all the green from any branch. Hopefully then you might get some back budding close to the trunk. I'll see if I can make a virt of what I see.
-Dave
edit, virtual: top left branch bent down from current apex. The foliage in the black circle is untouched from original picture, and I would use that to grow the new apex. The bottom left foliage would hopefully come from the induced back budding. Plenty of options to refine some nice deadwood amongst the foliage.