Apple watchband stuck in Apple watch

I see over 290 people have had this same issue. I got a woven nylon mesh band with plastic end adapters similar to the woven mesh bands that apple sells. I put it on my 42mm ceramic watch (a very expensive if not the most expensive apple watch). The long side went in and got stuck but my husband was able to cut the band out and remove it. It eventually came out but the short end went in and now cannot be removed. I took it into the genius bar and they couldn't help. They sent it off to Apple technical - I got a reply that it would be $1349 to repair. ***#@$#@(*%! I have apple care.??? I'm beyond distressed because the people at the apple store said they've never seen anything like it. Now I find out that many people (290+) have had this issue. I get it, it's a 3rd party band (now I know) I have many 3rd party bands that are fabulous and better than the original apple bands. In fact I have more non-apple bands than apple bands and they are wonderful. I'm frankly very shocked that apple could not service this and furthermore, that my apple care doesn't cover something like this. My new ceramic watch is now unusable unless I go and buy half a band. I'm very sick about this. They are returning it to me un-repaired. Have any of the 290 folks out there come up with a solution? (other than full watch replacement)