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!
Hugs of love and support to you and your family as you navigate this unbelievable time.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my husband to cancer in 2023. The year of first is so hard and even then dometimes it isn’t any easier but then at times it is and you feel guilty for that. Sometimes you don’t think you will ever get passed it and the other times you don’t want to. You just have to let yourself feel what you feel. I couldn’t wait for the first year to be over. I don’t know why I thought it would change anything. It didn’t and a week after the first anniversary of my husband’s death my father passed and now I’m reliving all the first with mi mother. There are no words for comfort save that of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. I pray you have that and His comfort. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I am so very sorry for your loss and heartbreak. I’ll be praying for you and your family!
Hola,Buenas Tardes:
Qué inesperada noticia,toda nuestra comprensión, amor, paz, fe ,para ti, tus hijos y tu Familia …
Es lógico que te tomes el tiempo,que necesitas,para llevar este dolor y adaptación a una nueva vida 🫂
Cariños, desde Chile 🇨🇱
Liss 🤗
Carolyn, please know that I will keep you and your children in my prayers at this difficult time. Take time to grieve, to be with your children and hold them close. May the love that you shared with your husband light your way today and always.
With sympathy,
Bettina
I will be praying for you and your family as you take this most difficult journey.
Dearest Carolyn,
I’ve been a follower for many years. I fell in love with Tim just from your beautiful and loving description of him and the pictures you posted. I feel as though I did meet him because of that.
Please know I’m praying for you and your family!
I to have been that route it is hard my only advice is to not make any major decisions right now. I am praying for you and your family. I always enjoy your recipes they are the best.
Oh Carolyn I’m so sorry to hear of your family’s loss. I will pray for you and your family. I’ll still be here whenever you post. I’ve been with you for while now and I’m not going anywhere. Take care and may God bless you 🙏.
Carolyn, I am so very sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. May the memories you made together be of comfort to you & your children. Take all the time you need to help heal through this difficult time.
God Bless,
Clara
My heart breaks for you. I am so sorry that your lost your hubby. I can’t even imagine. Prayers for peace and comfort in these really hard times.
Blessings,
Linda Presock
Oh Carolyn,
Thank you for taking the time to share this with us at such an unthinkable time. I know how words fall flat at times like these, but know you are in my (and I’m sure all of our) thoughts. Thank you for sharing how we can help. Wishing for peace and serenity for you and all who loved Tim. Take more time than you think you need.
We will all be here when your ready to come back, ((HUGS))
Lisa
I’m so so sorry to hear about your husband! Sending you prayers as you navigate life in a whole different way with your children! 💓🙏💓
So very sorry for your loss.
Caroline
My heart aches with you and your children as you endure this tragic loss.
You have my utmost respect for the way that you are navigating this difficult pathway. Your family must be your priority.
Please know that my prayers and love accompany you along this journey., And I will be waiting with a crowd of your followers when you feel ready to return in the meantime, devote yourself as you can to the well-being of yourself and your family.
With love, prayers and heartfelt sympathy
Ardie
P.S.Eagerly awaiting arrival of The Protein Avantage
Carolyn, please accept my sincerest condolences. I am praying for comfort and provision for your family during this shocking and heartbreaking time. 💔🥺
Charlene