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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sending heartfelt condolences!
I don’t have words to express how sorry I am for your loss. I will be keeping you in my thoughts.
Light and love to you and your family.
I am so deeply sorry. I can’t imagine this pain.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My heart and prayers go out to you and your family.
I am so sorry for your loss. I hope for the best for you and your family in the time that lie ahead. Take care of each other ❤️
Sending my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Please take care of yourselves during this very difficult transition. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Heartbreaking news, Carolyn! Sending love and prayers for Gods comfort and peace to envelop you!
With much love, Cheryl in Saskatchewan
Carolyn, I am so saddened by the loss of your precious husband, and your children’s loss of their amazing father. I will be praying for you all.
I am sorry that you are going through this! I wish I could do more.
I’ve already decided to get your protein cookbook, so I’ll go ahead and pre-order that.
Such sad news, I’m so sorry that you and your family are having to go through this. Praying that God will be holding you in His healing hands and that you will feel His strength, peace and love.
So sorry to hear of this terrible loss. Having lost a husband I know how difficult it is. I’m glad you have family and friends to surround you. I will keep you in my prayers. I am a Christian and I would not have made it through without my faith and my faithful friends who kept me in their prayers.
I am truly sorry for your loss. Keep going. You have friends!
Dear Carolyn:
There are no words, I started crying when I read this to my husband. People will always say stupid shit to you, like: “It was his time.” Yep, that’ll help your aching heart.
Someone once told me, “To live in the hearts of those who love you is to live forever.” That doesn’t help either.
We don’t always understand God, or His plans, and honestly, sometimes His plans and timetable stink. He has always taken care of me and my family, so I know He will do the same for you. It’s going to be tough, no doubt about it.
I will pray for you and your family to survive this anguish, somehow.
Thank you for all that you have done for us.
I’m so sorry for your loss! I have two sisters that have lost their spouses but not at such a young age and not suddenly. May the Lord give you His peace through this storm in your life! Take the time needed for you and your children to properly grieve. The grieving process is different for everyone, and your loss is great. Praying for you.
My most sincere condolences. May you and your children always be surrounded by a strong community of love, light and support. ❤️
Carolyn,
I am so sorry for your loss. You are all in my prayers.
You have been my go to several times a week. You will continue to be my go to.
PLEASE do not even think of replying. Just take ake care of your family and yourself and we will see you when you return.
Blessings,
Cheryl