From a conversation with a higher level advisor at Apple Care (800-275-2273) I performed the following:
First I installed the applications disc and ran the hardware test (hold down "d" key during start up) and found there to be no issues (with the backlight board, specifically).
Second I did a clean reinstall of the system which required doing something different than I had done before: erasing the hard drive.
a. backup on time machine
b. insert the Mac OS disc that came with your computer
c. shutdown then power back up holding down the "c" key to boot off the disc
d. hit return to use english
e. go to the top bar and click utilities, disk utility, click your Mac HD, click Erase, Erase, Erase and close the window
f. you are now back on the Install Mac OS X screen; agree; click your Mac HD and install Mac OS X
g. 30 minutes later OS X will be there and then you can load your stuff from Time Machine. (Select the item from Time Machine with the highest number if there is more than one version. It may give you two or more options if you have used the external drive for a prior computer. If you pick the one without "(2)" after the name of your drive--like I did--you kind of waste a couple of hours.)
h. finally, remember to go to settings and under bluetooth enable the wake mode for the mouse and keyboard. Initially I thought all was for naught as tapping the keyboard did nothing. But the wife knew about the bluetooth settings.
So for now, it looks like we are good. Really won't know until this does not happen for a week or two. The AppleCare super techie said this is currently his most common problem that he is dealing with and this method works 99% of the time. If so, wouldn't it be nice of someone from Apple, not some yahoo like me, was providing these instructions.
But you got them anyway.
I hope that works for you.
BG