Transmission would shift out of first gear and when it did it shifted hard

As 2CarPros knows, I have had a lot of problems recently with my vehicle. The running part of the vehicle seems to be doing okay. I am, after all the work on my vehicle, the horrible idle, bogging, flooding, and much more, now I seem to be having a transmission problem? I have "never" had a problem with it ! I was driving it and it did not shift out of the first gear when it was suppose to, so I let off the gas and gave it a second and it finally shifted, but rough. Then I noticed as I was slowing, the downshifting was rough. My vehicle does not seem to be doing this all the time. This has just started and I wonder if with all the rough idle, and problems I have had lately, maybe the transmission filter might have picked up some trash? I have never had the filter or transmission fluid changed. I know transmissions sometime can have a simple vacuum line loose and cause issues, but here again, am at a loss. I must drive my vehicle next week on a three hour trip to the heart doctor in Birmingham, Alabama in heavy traffic in up and down small mountain type terrain. Not good on the old gal!