2001 Shifter Cable Problems

[Pastorbee13]

Hello.  Got home from running some errands yesterday and I tilted the steering wheel up around the same time that I shifted into park (not sure if the tilt has anything to do with this).  I went to go reposition my truck (because I was digging a trough in my parking area with my front tires) and suddenly it wouldn't shift out of park.  After working with it for a few hours, jacking up the back of the truck, and repairing one of the broken cable retainer clips underneath I noticed that the shifter will work when my foot is firmly placed down on the spot on the floor where the cable runs below the truck.  It seems that the shifter cable is bulging through the floor.

Thankfully GMC had the foresight to integrate the door sill plate with the seat base, so pulling the carpet back isn't as easy as it should be (like it was on my 2000), so I don't yet have eyes on that area.  But the bulge while trying to shift is weird.  Has anyone experienced something like this?

Also I noticed that it's difficult if not impossible to put the truck into first gear with the shifter.  Are these problems related somehow?

Any help will be appreciated.