I'm not too sure about the diesel aspect of it, but what you're describing to me sounds a lot like an injector problem. Hard starts and poor performance are sure signs of poor fuel management. But before you go pulling the injectors, let me forward this question to Retta to ask her friend. If he doesn't know...it doesn't exist!
The boost problem is probably unrelated, unless the MAF sensor (that you mentioned) is going bad and the turbo operates off of it's signal.....(come to think about it....so do the injectors!)
Can you hook it up to a diagnostic handheld and pull the trouble codes?