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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Life is a vapor. He looks healthier than everyone I know! I’m sure it was quite a shock! So very sorry for your loss.
Dearests Carolyn,
Just seeing the sweet pictures that you have posted of Tim, made me wish I had met him. From the sound of it, the two of you made a beautiful life together, filled with humor and love; that part remains. I like to think our loved ones are just on the other side, watching over and protecting us like guardian angels. If he is there, I am sure you will feel it. I send everyone to your web page because you have the most researched and best Keto recipes I have encountered on the web, and I trust they will always turn out perfectly when I need a delicious cake or meal. Sending many blessings to you and your family and thank you so much for sharing your grief and love of Tim. I know we all feel your hurt and wish you nothing but love.
Joyce
I’m so sorry Carolyn! I’ll be praying for you and your family. 💔🙏
Oh Carolyn, My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. This is a more difficult time than anyone can imagine and there really aren’t words to say. Just know that you and your family are prayed for and your wonderful husband as well. Blessings, Pat
I’m so very sorry about your loss. I have walked in your shoes.
just take each day as it comes and don’t let people pressure you into things you feel your not ready to do. your in my thoughts and prayers.
Martha Seymour
My prayers go out to all the Ketchum family in this time of need. Thank you for always being a light in the darkness that can come with dietary restrictions, and the joyful way you always present your new creations and then share them with the world. You have done so much for so many, and we will always cherish those gifts… and you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending hugs and prayers for you all.
My heart goes out to you, Carolyn. I can’t imagine losing the love of one’s life.
May God be with you.
Just looking at the photos I can see everything you said you loved about Tim. My deepest condolences for you and your family.
You and your children have my heart-felt sympathy.
My deepest and sincere condolences. Take every time needed to do what’s needed for you and your loved ones.
Big digital hug from The Netherlands
I am so sorry for your loss. I will have you in my prayers for you and the kids.
I am so sorry for your loss. Keeping you in my thoughts. <3
oh i’m so so sorry! my deepest condolences!
Carolyn,
Despite coping with diabetes and raising a family, you are pretty consistently optimistic and generous with all of us. Part of that is doing what you love, but it is clear that a big part was also having a life partner who was present and supportive.
I hope you and your family receive everything emotionally and spiritually that you need to come back from this devastating loss. Please accept my condolences on the loss of Tim.
I am so sorry to read this terrible news. From what you have written he sounded like a wonderful, loving husband and dad. I will continue supporting your channel and vlog.