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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Hello my dear. I am very sad your husband and best friend passed away. Sending you hugs and love during this tuff time.
Oh my gosh, Carolyn, this is truly devastating news. Take whatever time you need for your sorrow and your family.
Even though I don’t make as many of your recipes these days as I used to (I am Zero Carb/Carnivore these days) I still believe you are the best low carb baker around. I have your first baking cookbook (at least I think it was your first) and I love it and through you have proven to family and friends that low carb desserts are just as tasty, if not tastier, than the flour and sugar laden ones.
My heart goes out to you and your family. Please look after yourself and return to this blog whenever you feel it is right for you.
With deepest sympathy
Glenys
I am so so sorry to hear this about your husband. This was truly heartbreaking news.
Oh no Carolyn! I am so very sorry to hear this awful news.
Your husband looks like a truly good man. My truly good man died two years ago. It’s the most awful thing in the world.
Take your time, feel your pain and do not be pressured by anyone or anything.
Sending loving thoughts to you and your family from Karen in Tasmania, Australia
I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my prayers.
I am so sorry for you, your children and family. I hope you find comfort in your wonderful memories of Tim.
Dear Carolyn,
I am heartbroken on your behalf – what a terrible loss for you and your precious family and all Tim’s family & friends. Please be gentle with yourself – grief is such a big, consuming thing. And yes, maybe diving into baking and new recipes will be a way to help process, and maybe not (and some days are better than others). We will be here, thinking of you, praying for you, appreciating what you’ve already done.
blessings and {{{gentle hugs}}} — Lynn
Carolyn,
I am so sorry for your loss. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Deborah
I am sorry for your loss.
May his soul rest in peace.
I am so sorry for your loss. You do you, we will be here waiting for you and more of your amazing recipes. ❤️
Carolyn,
Words cannot say how very sorry I am for your loss. Tim is the person you did life with – and life will forever be different. I am praying for you and your children and family. I love your channel and will watch as many videos as possible. Just know that people you have never met or talked to love you and will be holding up in thoughts and prayers. Take your time. Grief is a winding road of ups and downs. Focus on you and your family. We will be here. ❤️🙏🏼
I am so sorry for your loss. I understand all to well what you are walking through. My husband unexpectedly passed away almost 2 years ago. Praying for you and your family.
My heart broke when your post came up in my newsfeed because I immediately felt the pain you and your family are enduring during this very difficult time. I will definitely be keeping you all in my prayers 🙏 ❤️
Your wonderful husband died way too young. So sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself right now and don’t worry about the rest. We will all be waiting for you on the other side.
I am so sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family as you navigate this new road. Rachel
So so sorry to hear the news of your husband passing. I will be praying for you and your children. You have been a blessing to many people with your recipes.😊😍