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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Dear Carolyn
I just can’t find the right words to express how much I grieve for your tremendous loss. Losing a spouse and friend is traumatic. I pray for you and your family every day that God will bring you comfort, strength, and wisdom.
You have been a great inspiration to my Keto cooking skills. Probably about 90 % of all I make are from your recipes and I’ve never had a failure! Whenever I’m asked to bring a dish to a brunch, I always bring your zucchini breakfast casserole. Several guests always want the recipe!
I hope that you are able to take time with your family to heal. I’m certain that all your loyal followers will want you to do this.
Thank you for all that you have inspired in me to be a better and healthier cook.
Wendy Elman
That is hearbreaking news😮💨 You are such a bright spirit in the keto Foodie space. Gather around your faith and family and take all the time you need to process this sudden deep loss. Our 🙏s are with you, Tim and the kids. Definitely going to order the Protein Advantage Cookbook.
I’m so very sorry, Carolyn. I cannot imagine what you must be experiencing. It must be so shocking to deal with the loss of your life partner and best friend. I wish peace for your and your kids, as you navigate through this devastating and unexpected loss of your Tim. The emotional weight of this is heavy.
I am so sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself and your family. We will be here when you are ready. We love you!
Dear Carolyn, Im so sorry to hear about Tim! My heart is heavy for you and your children. I will be praying for all of you.
God bless you and give you wisdom and strength as you mourn the loss of your Tim.
Cecelia
Middle Tennessee
Carolyn, I am so sorry for the loss of your husband and soul mate! My prayers will include you and your family. May God’s peace and love bring you comfort. 🙏
My deepest Sympathy. So sorry to hear about your loving husband. My thoughts are with you.
Carolyn, I don’t really know you other than loving your creative hard work on keto. My heart goes out to you. What an amazing man, your husband. Hugs and prayers for your family
Will be buying your new book
Barbara
My heart goes out to you. You note Tim’s impact on others nd I appreciate that. You are also a light in the world and specially the keto/low carb community. I can truly say I love you even though we never met. Take care Carolyn.
So sorry to hear of your loss, Carolyn. Take your time. Sending prayers and hugs to you and your family.
ooh my, I am so sorry for your loss.
I am praying and thinking of you and your family at this heartbreaking time.
you have inspired and probably saved so many lives. I am sure everyone of your followers are here to help you should you ever need it. 🙏🫂
So sorry for such a huge loss. My deepest condolences and prayers to you and your family.
I’m so very truly sorry for your loss. We all want to support you, take all the time you need to grieve. There is no timeline for healing. Much love to you and your family during this unimaginable loss.
My prayers are with you and your family during this time. May God give your heart comfort as you navigate this part of the journey. Grace and peace to you with no expectations or timeline.
Dear Carolyn,
I truly cannot imagine the struggle you are going through right now . I have been married to my best friend for 40 years and would describe him much like you did your beloved Tim. My heart aches for you all. Take the time you need and know everyone will be tucking you and the family in our prayers. I am so sorry for your heart ache. Asking God to send people to meet the needs that arise for you all.
With deepest sympathy & prayer,
Lori Arndt
Carolyn, thank you for sharing your profoundly sad news, I know it was hard. I have no words that will give you comfort, but I will send up prayers for you all. I will also do as you have asked in liking, sharing, etc. your recipes, which are amazing by the way.
Blessings 🙌
Carolyn,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Please take time to grieve. I pray you will find joy in shared memories.