Honda Accord 1999 model EX V6 coupe.

The thumb button on the gearshift broke. While attempting to address that problem, i discovered that something i had done made it so the shifter would not move to the 'P'ark position.

So, i disassembled the shifter, as much as I could, looking for broken or very worn parts. What i found was that the square end of the long white plastic 'connecting rod' was partially broken. This connecting rod I'm trying to describe is the part that moves up/down when the thumb button on the gearshift is pushed in.

Because it was broken (thus shorter than the original length) it would not engage whatever component it should have down in the bowels of the shifter mechanism.

Frustrated, i stuck a wooden pencil, eraser first, down the center of the shifter to push whatever button needed to be pushed so that the gearshift would move through all the positions. Eureka! It worked. I could get the #$%$ thing into 'P'ark now.

Armed with that good news, i began moving rapidly back and forth through the all the gears, park to first, first to park, etc., etc. Bad idea. Something snapped. now the pencil i was using as a pseudo-shifter didn't have to be pressed down for the gearshift to move.

Well, it was driveable, so i went with it.
A week later, the key got stuck in the ignition. If i dont turn it far enough back (toward the off position) the battery will run down. Happened twice.

But, when there is no power to the ignition the key comes out just fine.

So now the question:

what do i need to repair/replace to fix this problem(s)?

Please help. I gotta go back to school in a couple of weeks. Dont have much time

thanks, Liz