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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
I am so sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. I completely understand where you are as I lost my husband 18 months ago. He was my everything and was there for me throughout many tough situations that life brings, bringing a smile to my face as yours did for you. I lost part of me when he died.
The way I have been able to travel this road is by the foundation that the Lord Jesus Christ has given me. He says he will comfort and strengthen me and he certainly has because he does what he says he will do.
Are there tough times, sad times, times of uncertainty because your whole world has been turned upside down? Yes there are. But through the tears and sadness I know that God is there just as he promised. I pray that God will meet you where you are as you go through the grief of losing your husband.
I am so sorry, hugs and love to you and your family at this difficult time. Take care of yourself and allow yourself the grace to grieve and heal.
I am so very sorry for your loss! Please know that I will be lifting you and your family up in prayer. It sounds like you were extremely blessed to have a wonderful husband and father to your children. May you find comfort and peace as you navigate your new normal. Your recipes and posts have been so very helpful to me in my weight loss journey.
Sincerely,
Sheri
Dear Carolyn,
I am So Sorry for your loss! i will pray for ALL of you. Take your time to grieve and don’t give us a thought. We can take this time to reflect on what’s important in our own lives and cook our loved ones healthy, tasty food from the huge pile of recipes on your site. It may be no comfort just Yet, but when you are up to it read Luke 20:38. Big Hug from a stranger who feels like she knows you a little.
I’m so very sorry! I will be praying that you find comfort in these days. I love your recipes. God bless you and your family in these days.
Mary McTeigue
Eagle Creek, OR
I’m so sorry for your loss, and am sending light and love to your whole family and all who loved him.
Heartbreaking to hear of your loss. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. I’ve followed your blog for a few years now and appreciate the work you put into it. My heart aches for you.
So very very sorry for your loss. God is the GREAT comforter. So very sorry.
I am so very sorry. Take your time, do whatever you need to do. I’ve appreciated you for years, and will continue to support your website. I’ll be praying for comfort for you and your children.
My heart breaks for you and your children. Im praying that God will bring you comfort and peace.
Holding you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Sending light and love your way. I’m sorry for your profound loss.
Dear Carolyn, So sorry for your loss! You and your family will be in my prayers. I have preordered your book and look forward to its release.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Please accept my condolences 🖤🖤
I am so sorry Carolyn. Deepest condolences to you and your family. Your recipes are unique and I appreciate your creativity in creating new keto flavours. I look forward to them. Best wishes to you!
I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine what you and your family is going through. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Ruth Geise
I have followed you for years…thank you for
sharing you loss with all of us
My deepest sympathies for your loss. I too have a husband that is my everything, the person who makes me feel valued, loved and special so I understand your sense of loss. I hope your memories of all he added to your life will sustain you while you search for balance in the days ahead.