"you must get CPL/IR within 36months of last exam then if you do that you have 7 years to gain the hours/experience required to "unfreeze" the ATPL"
"if you miss either of these deadlines you have to do the lot again "
Not exactly true! as long as you keep your IR (revalidate it now and then) your ATPL theory credits stay valid and you could get an atpl issued many years after sitting your atpl exmas (8 + years).
You have lots of time!
At one time you had to do all the exams and skill tests in less time than this! I'm sure there are lots of people on here who did this.
JL.