Rest in Peace Cash Michael Hyde ~ One Love ~

This has been one of my hardest posts to write – ever – in my entire life.

It has taken quite a few days to get it together and a constant supply of Kleenex.

Yes folks – Cashy has passed on.

It was very sudden. The Hyde family was not expecting Cash to pass away. Not like this – and not so suddenly. Not ever. There was no “plan z” for a funeral.

It was November 14, 2012. I had just stopped to see the Hyde family on November 7, on my way out of state to Florida. Whenever I am in and out of Montana – the Hyde family is always my first and last stop. When I arrived back in state – Cashy was his rambunctious self – arguing with his Mama about who got to do what with him, and lively as ever. Loving his baby sister – and hassling Colty to play with him.

Always refreshing – even if he was cantankerous! That meant he was alive!

Colty met me as I parked. Colton is Cashy’s big brother – and I adore the young man. At 8 years of age – more wisdom can be seen in his dark brown eyes than many adults can fathom. He has been through and learned so much in the past three years, fighting cancer with his family.

Colton Hyde is a Warrior in his own right.

He always greets me with a smile, and a hug when I can catch him. 😉 I adore Colty, and he knows it. That little smartass is the one who dubbed me “Hiedi Handfull” and left me speechless when he did it! Few adults can render me speechless, nonetheless a mere child?

I love you Colton! Ya twerp!

As I got out of the vehicle and went in to the house, I never dreamt it would be the last time I saw the Hyde family as a family of 5.

Not for a minute.

Cashy was sleeping that day – charging his batteries up for “Wet Wednesday” – every Wednesday the family and friends get together and go swimming in Missoula, or wherever they are. Not just 2 or 3 – but  the whole HERD. It’s a riot!

I never pushed in on Cashy – ever. I always figured he had so much intrusion in his life from all his hospital time, he didn’t need one more person pushing in on him. I let Cashy allow me on his terms, not mine. Let the lil man sleep for lands sake so he can have some fun. Kiss him for me. Give the lil stinker a squeeze.

The Hydes were the Hydes – vibrant and busy – caring and loving. Catherine Joy BEAMED her precious smile at me and I kissed her cheeks. Joy really fits in her name, as she brings so much joy to all who meet her. Precious baby girl she is!

Cashy and baby sis Catherine – he loved being a BIG brother

There is always family and friends at the House of Hyde. A blurring cacaphony of them at times. Laughter and happiness are more often than not the theme of the day.

Cashy, Kalli, Colton, and Mike Hyde

One Love

One Heart

Yes…..they really do live it. It is wonderful, warming, and has changed my life for the better. When I ever get down and out….I remember the Hydes and embrace fond memories of roadtrips and the Bada Bing. One Love!

Fast forward one week. I am in Fort Lauderdale with Irvin Rosenfeld. I had seen the posting earlier from Kalli about Cashy not feeling well. I had seen the post of him failing.

I immediately got in contact with the family and was told Cashy had really headed downhill, and his respiration was failing. Cashy wasn’t looking good, and this was probably going to be “it”.

I asked Mike to please kiss his sweet cheeks for me. I was distraught being so far away, and only a week gone, to have this happen now. If I could have been within 1,000 miles of the Hyde’s, I would have been on my way there immediately.

As it was  I was too far away to even dream of getting there.

Irvin was so good to me, so supportive. I had pulled up Playing for Change’s version of “One Love” on my smartphone – and we were watching it when I got the text…..”Cashy has passed”.

There are no words for that moment.

Only tears.

Instant heartbreak.

Irvin and I had just been discussing how Cashy was known worldwide, how far his story had gone, how many people he affected in so many ways. Cashy’s story touched people on a level of compassion never seen before. Grown men cried in front of me when I told Cashy’s story and shared photos and videos.

Playing for Change’s version embodied Cashy for me, as it was the work of so many on a worldwide level. Many many people had worked so very hard to bring it all together. It was such a beautiful work.

Cashy accomplished the same thing. Cashy affected the world – his story has been viewed and read far and wide. At least a hundred countries just by my blog stats. Parents have been inspired, and saved their own children, thanks to Cashy and his message of hope.

The world grieves for Cash…..one very small sweet little boy with a brain tumor. He has touched and affected so many.

Those brown eyes…..exposing a soul so very much older than the vessel containing it.

One small child, with such a huge message and story. Not anecdotal. Not supposition.

Only proof.

GONE! Cancer Free! Official report dated 5/16/2012. This WAS a Stage IV PNET brain tumor on Cashy’s optic nerve. How many children must die? WHY?!?!

And with his death, proof that lack of access to medical cannabis kills people.

Yet again.

We can never forget folks like Robin Prosser, Scott Day, and Travis Michalski. Montana has had a history of serious issues with access, actually a lack of access to medical cannabis.

When will politicians quit killing Montanans?

SB423 was implemented in July of 2011. Even before implementation, a law suit was filed to stop it, and enjoin at least the most vicious parts and hold them back with a restraining order.

In July of 2011 Cashy was declared cancer free. He was again cancer free as recent as May of this year.

Rewind and go back to July of 2011. The Hydes cut down their garden, to remain within the new boundaries of the law. They had 16 strains. They had never determined exactly which one worked for Cashy. Heck – Cash was cancer free….we were home free right?

Not hardly…..

Mike had volunteered to take Cashy out in Montana to help with Initiative Referendum 124. To help educate Montanans. To help save not only his son, but other Montanans. He would take him down mainstreet in every town in Montana if he could get there.

It was that important to him. He was fighting to save his son’s life, as well as the lives of many other Montanans.

It was imperative we stop this evil and completely unconstitutional law.

Unfortunately, pediatric application is frightening to folks. Even “industry folks” in Montana……”our camp”.

The Initiative Referendum struggled forward, and the Hydes focused their energies into fighting cancer nationally after being rejected in their own state.

I still to this day cannot tell you why Montana folks didn’t take Mike Hyde up on his offer. Cashy’s message could have killed that law right out of the gate in my opinion.

Montanans are compassionate folks, and they don’t take kindly to hurting folks.

I stated then “A child shall lead them”……and it fell on deaf ears.

Hundreds of folks turned out for Cashy’s funeral November 19 in Missoula. KPAX TV was there and followed the event and the police procession through Missoula from the church to the funeral home. There were two funerals for Cash – one in Montana and one in Salt Lake City. Cashy was buried on Mount Calvary in Salt Lake City in the family plot on November 24.

My point here is….the VERY people Initiative 148 was developed and voted in by Montana voters in 2004 with more than 62% of the vote in support are who is affected directly by SB423.

The sickest of the sick. The cancer patients. The children.

SB423 is designed to repeal and destroy an industry. To reduce patient numbers to <2,000 in Montana – the Legislature’s “magic number” they desire to see in the registry.

There are more cancer patients in 3 counties than the magic number desired by the 62nd Legislature!

With the current law as it is – access for cancer patients is near non-existent. Does the Legislative body have a magic wand where they can determine there will only ever be 2,000 cancer patients in Montana? Especially after incidents like Libby and the vermiculite issues? Cancer in Libby alone is off the charts statistically.

Ever since this law – SB423 – was enacted – it has done nothing but hurt people. It hurts patients. It hurts Montana.

The Hyde’s had to fight tooth and nail for access to life saving oil when his cancer came back last year after the law changed. It wasn’t easy – it was a CONSTANT battle to get the right oil – and even to find the CBD plants needed to make the right oil for Cashy.

Lab testing? Wiped out by the last session. There are absolutely no parameters for lab testing under SB423.

Dr referral? IMPOSSIBLE – or nearly impossible for a child with cancer. Children with cancer in Montana need two dr referrals to be carded in Montana at this time. If their parents are professionals who may owe on a student loan, do not even consider it. Any Federal debt is a dis-qualifier to be a caregiver for your very own child.

The law is even designed to ensure low plant volume – and immature medicine. It takes 2 pounds of plant material to make about a months supply of oil…….cancer patients will do nothing but die under this law.

We seriously need some change.

SO – what can you do to help?

First – please donate to the Cash Hyde Foundation.

The Hyde’s fully intend to carry on with the Foundation and fighting pediatric cancer. Folks want safer options for their children – and will go to lengths to get them. Cashy’s memory and legacy shall carry on with Reggae Runners and Reggae Rockers and Foundation events all across the country.The day after the Hyde’s buried Cashy in Salt Lake City – they went and donated 6 Reggae Runners to the Children’s hospital there in Salt Lake where they spent the first 10 months fighting cancer with Cashy.

The Hyde’s will never quit.

As you can see from this Huffpost Live story – pediatric application is really moving to the forefront rather quickly. Reggae Runners and the legacy of Cashy will help keep that momentum going forward.

In addition – a Gift Card has been established at the Good Food Store in Missoula Montana.The Hyde’s have spent the past 2 years of holidays in the hospital fighting cancer. Please help ensure they have a super nice Christmas dinner for their family.

Please dial 406-541-3663 and press 1 for customer service to get to a representative there who will collect your donation and apply the funds to the Cash Hyde Family Gift Card. They will keep a list of donors and we will be getting Thank You’s out to all.

Legislative Session starts January 7, 2012. Please be prepared in Montana for session. Soon, we will be introducing the Cash Hyde Memorial Medical Cannabis Act of Montana and lobbying for change in Montana – so we have access for all sick Montanans. We are collecting bill sponsors now, and it is going well. They know SB423 is a bad law.

Cashy’s Law will be so much better – and I truly hope you folks out there will assist in the fight to make it become a reality in Montana.

SO many Montanans rely on it.

We can memorialize this precious boy and gain proper access to safe medicine for all Montanans.

It’s long overdue.

For more information or to assist – please send an e-mail to MTConnectMe@gmail.com

Be well folks – and do good. The world needs to be a better place – and with your help – we can make it a better place.

One Love

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Thank you