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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I am so sorry Carolyn….I also heard about this from the Keto Twins. I have your Soups and Stews book and LOVE IT… you have been so supportive and helpful on my food adventures. God bless you and comfort you at this time…..Ana
Carolyn my condolences go out to you and your family, my heart breaks for you.
Sending up thoughts for the wonderful Tim Ketchum & his family.
You & your family have our thoughts & prayers. Going now to purchase the cookbook.
So sorry for the unimaginable loss of your husband. I found this page via a Keto Twins email and I just signed up for your recipes and emails.
You are in my prayers!
Dear Carolyn I am saddened to hear about the death of your friend and partner. Please know the love and caring is out here for you and your family.
Dear sweet Carolyn,
My thoughts and heart are with you in this shockingly hard time. I understand, my husband died suddenly 21 years ago this August from a stroke. He was loved by all!!
He was a great involved father like your Tim.
He was a chef and would have loved you and your cookbooks as I do.
He is missed everyday.
Please take good care.
You are loved.
Thinking of Tim and you with grace,
Love,
Aran
Carolyn, I am so very sorry for your great loss. You and your family are in my prayers. Take all the time you need doing whatever you need to do. Grieving is a very personal thing, and no one should be telling you how to do it. There’s no right or wrong ways here. Your fans and followers will do all we can to support you in your time of need.
I am truly sorry about your husband’s passing. I understand because my husband died unexpectedly too. Take one day at a time, and make sure you have someone to talk to night or day. Accept help when offered. And take all the time you need to grieve. My sincere condolences to you and your family.
Carolyn, I am so sorry for your loss. Please take your time and have no concerns about us. You have so many wonderful recipes available for us to select from. This time is for you and your family. I pray GOD will guide you and offer you HIS peace. When you are ready, we will be here for you.
With deepest sympathy,
Janice Nelson
Denver, CO
I KNOW what you are going through! The best advice I received was to not make any life changing decisions for at least a year. Your love will always be in your heart, but the heavy grief will slowly lift. Thank you for your many recipes and encouragement. Keep doing what you love and stop and give yourself time when necessary. Sending love and understanding.
That’s a good piece of advise. I can’t see changing anything for a while… I see him in everything.
I’m so sorry to hear this. May your memories sustain you through the next few months. Praying for you and your children.
My Heart goes out for you and your family , I am so sad to hear this . My prayers go out to you , you are loved by so many . Virtual Hugs be kind to yourself.
so sorry 😞
Carolyn, I am so sorry that you lost your husband, life partner in laughter and tears, your best friend. There are no words to encompass such grief. He sounds like he was a really wonderful man, and I know he will be greatly missed by you and your children, and many others too. Prayers that you can find places of comfort and peace along the way as you walk through the valley of the shadow.
Dear Carolyn:
I am truly sorry to learn of your loss. May you find comfort in your memories of Tim. And it is never easy. You and your family are in my thoughts and my prayers.
Sincerely,
Leslie Slosar
Carolyn, I am so truly sorry that you are walking the grief journey. I thank God, more than ever, hearing this ,that my husband’s AAA was caught and repaired. May you and your children cherish every single memory and hold each other close.💔