Dear readers,
These are the hardest words I will ever have to write. My husband, Tim Ketchum, died suddenly last week of what was first thought to be an abdominal aneurysm. Doctors now think he may have had a genetic connective tissue disorder that weakened the structure of his aorta.
He was my partner in every sense of the word. He was my best friend, my confidante, my safe place. And oh, he was such an amazing father. He shared the burden of raising our three children with gusto, being present in a way that most dads will never be.
Everyone who ever met Tim loved him. Even people who only met him in passing were charmed by him. Warm, compassionate, loving, thoughtful. And funny as hell! I fell in love with him because he made me laugh. And even as life became more complicated and serious, we never lost that connection, that goofiness and silliness that made every situation easier to bear.
I feel compelled to share here because I am not quite sure what the future looks like. Certainly for the near term, I will be scaling back my time on All Day I Dream About Food so I can focus on my family and my grief. You will still see posts and recipes from me, but I don’t quite know with what frequency. I will be taking the easy route, updating older posts and sharing simple recipes. I have a backlog of some already that I can share over the next few weeks. I also have help with my social media and I am every so grateful to Stephanie, who has taken over my Facebook page completely for now.
Then again, I may decide to lose myself in the process of baking and create some amazing keto cakes. I honestly don’t know what I want or what I need right now. But I ask that you give me grace for not answering your questions in a timely fashion.
How you can help
I am so fortunate to have created an amazing community of readers and followers, some of whom have been with me for over a decade. I know many of you will want to help in some way. And I am grateful for your thoughts and your kindness.
The best thing you can do is keep coming to my website, reading my posts (both new and old), and sharing my posts on social media. Share to groups, share with friends, and pin my recipes to your Pinterest boards. This website has been my family’s source of income for many years now and views will generate much needed ad revenue. I know that ads can be cumbersome, but I ask that you take time to scroll through each post a little bit.
Another great way to help me is to purchase my cookbooks. In particular, pre-order my upcoming book, The Protein Advantage. I will not have much time to promote it now, but it’s something I worked so hard on. I would love to see it succeed and pre-orders make a huge difference to the overall sales of the book. It helps retailers decide how many copies they want to keep on their shelves. And I can assure you, it’s a book worthy of your time.
Thank you for reading. If you are a spiritual person, please send up some thoughts for the wonderful Tim Ketchum. He was a light in the world and touched so many people. I can say confidently that if you had met him, you would have loved him.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Carolyn, I am so sorry to hear about your sudden loss and you have my deepest condolences. Take care of yourself and your family right now. Sending you so much love. ❤
May you and your family find strength to get through this heartbreaking time.
Your website is one of my most trusted and also one of the first I found when I started the keto diet for diabetes (II) and I appreciate your help in navigating through this huge life change.
Whatever way you feel you need to travel through this time is the right one. Family is always first and the source of one’s center and strength.
Sincerest regards,
Anne-Marie Mazur
I’m so sorry for your loss. When I saw the title Heartbreaking News I thought you must have decided to stop alldayidreamaboutfood. Then I saw what you wrote. Take the time you need to deal with this. We will be here. Big hugs to you and the kids.
Suzan
Our sympathies go out to you Carolyn. I’ve preordered your book a while back. It was a way to say thank you in a tangible way since we can’t help you with the affiliate links (Canada). Your website is the first place I go to for recipe inspiration. I’ll take more time with the scrolling placement ads in the future. This is the third time this kind of news has come to us. The first was Alan Thicke (a very popular Canadian actor) and the second was the from the co-founder of the Life Part 2, blog who was the inspiration for our current life journeys. Your blog is also a very big inspiration. Thank you and take care. Colin
So very sorry for your loss and the pain you feel both emotionally and physically. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May God surround you with love and comfort you during this difficult time.
Babetta Akin
Ohhh my Carolyn! I am so sorry to read this heartbreaking news of the loss of your dear husband 😢 You have to do what is comfortable for you. If that means little interaction with your fans for now, we will patiently wait for you. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers in the coming days, weeks, months.
I am so very sorry for your loss. I hope the fond memories you have of your time with your wonderful husband will bring you some comfort over the next weeks and months. I will remember you and your family in my prayers.
Stacy
Dear Carolyn, I am so saddened to hear this. May you and your family be blessed with peace and comfort as you grieve.
Carolyn,
I am so very sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my prayers. “ When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”
Oh Carolyn,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your handsome husband. My heart is breaking for you and your kids. I will keep you all in my prayers.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ll be praying for you and your family at this most difficult time. I’ll be checking in on your website regularly and ordering more of your cookbooks. With sincerest sympathy.
oh Carolyn
I’m heartbroken for you! prayers for you and your children as you walk through the coming days. I am so sorry for your loss!
I’m so sorry to hear this news. Praying for peace and comfort.
Sending prayers for peace and comfort. I can not imagine losing my husband, I’m so so very sorry for your loss!!
I can’t fathom the grief you must be feeling dear Carolyn!
So grateful that you had a wonderful husband friend and Father to your children in your life for the time that you had him. And I’m so sorry that his passing was abrupt and at such a young age. I know this community loves and appreciates you dearly. I will buy your book on protein even though I wasn’t planning on it. 🥰 I love you.
Carolyn, So sorry for your loss. Prayers of strength and healing to your family.