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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I’m so very sad that you’ve lost your wonderful husband. I can’t even imagine your pain.
I am so sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.
I have enjoyed your recipes over the years. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Carolyn, so sad to hear. Take your time grieving. We’ll all be here when you feel ready. Sending prayers for you and your family.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. It’s such a hard thing to deal with when it is unexpected. Even when it is expected is very difficult. My heart felt condolences to you and your family.
I love your recipes and your website and I plan to buy your protein book.
Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us. Wishing you peace and love.
I am so sorry Carolyn for your loss. I love all the cook books from you and will prebook your new one next month. You and your family our in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs
Oh my, this is such sad news. I love your photos of how the two of you spent time in the great outdoors together. I’m hoping the memories of the two of you enjoying time together keep you strong through your grief. Thank you for all you do for us. Now, it’s time to focus on you.
Love and hugs.
Lori
I am so sorry for your loss. Praying peace for you and your family as you walk through this difficult time.
Hi Carolyn,
Having undergone a terribly shocking loss myself, I can only say that I am so sorry you had to experience this. I have bought one of your books and will continue to support you. There is so much more to say, but know that we wish you well
Oh, Carolyn, I’ve considered you my friend as I’ve followed and used your delicious recipes. My heart just aches for you! May God strengthen you as you bear this difficult burden now along with your precious children!!!
Love and prayers!
Carolyn, I am so sorry for your loss. Grief is something that doesn’t go away, we have to learn to live with it. It took me 38 years and two grief recovery classes to be able to talk of my father who was murdered by his second wife when I was 18. The pastor who did the classes said our memories turn from painful to sweet sadness. Your husband looks like he was a sweet man. Take the time you need for yourself and your family. We will be here. Blessings.🙏🙏
So very very sorry!!! No words can comfort you in this time!! Cling to Jesus!!! Let Him hold you!!!
There are never the right words to say when something like this happens. Just know that you and your family will be in my thoughts. I hope that all the beautiful memories you shared will be held in your heart. Sending love and hopefully in time you will find peace in your cherished memories.
My heart is so heavy for you and your family! I will be praying for you all to be lightened and have peace fill your souls. I ordered your new cookbook and will repost and share and pin as much as I can as well as click on the ads. Thank you for giving us ways to feel helpful.
I am so very sad to hear this Carolyn! I pray God’s peace and love during this time of grief for you and your family! Such a loss! Of course I will continue to follow and support you! God bless!
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, and wish you and your family love, hope, and comfort in the new life you will forge now. It sounds like Tim was a wonderful partner to you. I will continue to follow your IG, blog, and website storehouse of recipes. I have used so many of your recipes and have learned so much about cooking and baking chemistry that helps me to enjoy things I thought I had given up 20 years ago when I was diagnosed with T2D. Much gratitude.
There are no words that will help right now…but prayers for you and your family Carolyn. We will still be here and support you in all you do.