No, that's a good thing. I'd still request a full refund for trip in vain. AA did not get you to your destination and you had to abandon your travel plans with them. It's really none of their business what you did after they could no longer accommodate you in a reasonable time frame.

Since your return trip was booked separately, that doesn't need to be part of this discussion at all. It would be harder to claim a trip in vain if you needed to use the return flights on the reservation!