After the actuator broke off, there was just enough of a stub left to be able to press against it and dispense water if you held your glass just right. With an upcoming shoulder surgery scheduled, I thought I could live with it until I felt good enough to call a repair man. (I would rather fight with a broken water dispenser than drink the horrible tap water we have.).
After my surgery, I remembered AppliancePartPros, from whom I had ordered parts before. I thought it would be a major task to replace the actuator, but after watching a How-To video on their website, I figured I could do it even with a sore shoulder. I ordered the part on Wednesday and paid the extra $3.00 to get it to me by Friday. It actually arrived the very next day! Friday, I watched the repair video again, then practically with one good arm, replaced the actuator. The only problem I had was getting the water hose back into its spout. The hose is short and stiff and difficult to grab through a little opening. After several frustrating minutes, I backed away, said a prayer, and tried again, pressing against the tip of the hose with a small putty knife. Boom! The hose slid into place! The whole job took about 45 minutes.
I assume most do-it-yourselfers are pleased as I am whenever they fix something, paying just the cost of the part versus the much higher fee of an appliance repairman.