Best wishes to recover quickly from your wounds. Unfortunately with pets even attempts to show love and affection can result in human injury if they come at the wrong time or are unexpected.
Trying to adopt an animal, especially one that was mistreated, is a very noble and honorable thing. But it is not an easy task to break old habits and earn a new trust. Good luck, it sounds like you've made great progress.
We have some feral cats in the neighborhood I want to adopt and have tried over the years to lure them with food and kindness. They always kept their distance (although they would eagerly take the food if I stayed far away). I described their behavior to my vet and he said they were feral and that they could not be domesticated. One has been around for seven years, which isn't bad for feral.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Try each day to move their food closer to where you are sitting, then just sit there quietly; they'll eventually decide to come closer for their food. They will never come to you if you keep chasing after them. But each day, make sure they can see/smell the food, but have it a bit closer and closer until it is eventually only a few feet away. PAT]