If there is a quilt guild nearby contact them and ask to borrow a machine. Many of our quilters have several machines (I have a dozen) and would happily loan you a good one all ready to sew.

Maybe a small dowel ~ one that is a smidge larger than the hole and wittle it down to just be a tight fit. Or call a local sewing machine repair shop and ask if they might haspare spool holder t hat would fit the machine. GOOD LUCK

You could also try the local buy and sell, maybe you can find a machine for what you'd rent one for. It's a new market to you, if it's far enough from home. Then take it home with you when your son's better, or leave it there. Either way, maybe pick up some oil. It's not a high tension part, if you find something that will fit the hole, maybe just put a small piece of duct tape under the hole so it doesn't fall through.

If the hole is large enough, you might try a soda straw.

I was away from home, and in the same pradicament. Checked everywhere that sold anything remotely close to sewing machines, but came up with nothing. So I went and bought a wooden dowel slightly larger than the hole and widdled, just the end going into the hole, down to fit. Be very careful of anything you put in there as I did that very thing. Worked great for a minute until I started hearing a funny noise, and found that the object I used for a spool was not a good fit, it had fallen down into the hole, and then it took me for ever to get it out of my machine. I thought I had ruined my machine, but I was lucky. The dowel idea worked great. Hope this works for you.

Try a toothpick or match stick for a temp. fix. Good luck!

Use a cone thread stand. That is what I use with most of my machines.