Phal (I think) in trouble?

[dps62a]

Alright ladies and gents, please diagnose this one for a newbie. I read the F.A.Q.'s but feel the need for more info. The g.f. brought this one home (my first) and tasked me with keeping it alive. It's been about three months - woo hoo! The pics hopefully will show what worries me: the sudden yellowing of one of the leaves, along with part of one of the two spikes. The other spike with the two newer buds looks ok, although it seems like the flowers are never going to fully open or "unstick" (another question on that below). The spike with the more mature flowers (they were in bloom from the get go and seemed like they'd last forever - how cool is that?!) has some yellow going on as of late, located in the area of the older, fading flowers. The watering schedule and plant location have not changed, and the plant has not yet been re-potted. I water once the media appears pretty dry on top and the weight of the pot is light, typically every 7 days or so. I live in NorCal and the room faces the east with blinds shut, but it still seems to get a fair amount of indirect light through them, even being across the room. As you may see, I've snipped a few of the fading flowers just above where the flower meets the spike (ok?). Some of flowers have appeared ready to open for several weeks but don't quite pop. One bud that looked ready for weeks even started to turn brown at its tip when I lightly pryed it open. Is it ok to "help" them along a little bit in that way or no? Sorry for the long post and my sincere apologies in advance for my photographic "talents" !