To fix this I used a dremel and cut the steel I coated middle layer of the 3 layer MLS head gasket. Because those water passages are not in the critical raised portion of the head gasket and the modified portion was the middle layer, this was safe to do. I did not lose control of the dremel oven once, I’m proud of that as the head gasket would be toast if I did.
I only have to deburr the new holes with a jewelers file for my own sanity, and wipe each layer with my new “cleaning rags”.