Since there was no obvious cause of death at first Kim and I were questioned by the police for what seemed like hours. Since I am the "step-dad" and it was reported on the news that "Tanner was found by his step-dad" I believe there were a few people out there that thought it seemed a little suspicious. Sadly, I would have likely had similar questions in my mind if I would have heard that a child died with no known cause and was found by his step-dad. Unfortunately it is the way most minds think because we feel like we have to pass judgement on somebody if there is an unknown. When I heard that my own 3 year old daughter saw me preforming CPR and told my neighbors that "daddy was hurting Tanner"... it was just about enough for me to go into a catatonic state in need of a immediate mental help. I felt as if I needed to go into self-protection mode and that everyone was looking at me. I wanted to get angry and yell at everyone that looked at me oddly or said anything that put me on the stand. I held it together for most people, but Kim had to deal with my delusions and confusion and I love her more than ever because of what she had to endure.
We are still not 100% satisfied with the autopsy results. They found that Tanner had a Cardiac Rhythmic Disturbance due to his Pectus Excavatum. If you are like us.... what the heck is that? Pectus Excavatum is a sunken in chest and the Cardiac Rhythmic Disturbance was best explained to us as a heart attack. Tanner had seen many doctors and Kim even took him to a specialist. Nobody had ever told us that Pectus Excavatum could cause internal problems. The specialist told Kim that any surgery would be purely cosmetic. All I have to say is DO NOT trust your doctors. Ask questions! Do your own research if something is abnormal with your child. Please let anyone you know that knows anyone with Pectus Excavatum to have them checked out regularly and thoroughly. I am a pretty paranoid person and I overlooked this and trusted the doctors and that haunts me daily. Doctors are great, but they really do not know everything.
