1999 Saturn SC2 Shifter Cable problem?

1999 Saturn SC2 5 Speed, Shifter Cables issues. I have had the Shifter cables, Linkage, Housing etc. Replaced 5 times in the last 18 months. The first time the cotter pin or whatever you call it that connects the cable to the shifter arm broke on the upper set. The second time, the bottom set same deal. The third time the we replaced the cables and bent the pins so they could not slip out again. The fourth time we replaced the whole cable housing assembly. This time, I can see that the upper set has come apart again. I've done a lot of reading, and apparently this is a very common problem. I also have a friend that has the same make and model as mine, and has had the exact same problem with theirs. I want to know if there is anything that can be done to fix this problem once and for all. I am a disabled widow and cannot afford to keep paying to have the same problem fixed time and time again. Please don't bother mentioning that the mechanic should honor their work and fix something that they just fixed that broke again. It's a moot point. Secondly, is there a mechanic in the Statesville, NC area that has an excellent reputation for their work and customer service? I think that if I had good diagrams that I could fix this myself? From how the mechanic explained it to me, and from what I can see when I look down under the hood, I'm hoping that it is a relatively easy fix.