I'm supposed to take 30 minutes to eat a tiny bit of food. That little bit of food is barely still warm by the time I sit down with it, and after a few minutes it's downright cold. Who wants to eat cold food for almost 30 minutes? I solved the cold food problem by pulling out one of those mini hot plates to put your coffee cup on to keep your coffee warm. Just add some water to keep the food on the saucer from drying out.

I just wish it being cold was the only reason I didn't want to eat, but that's another subject.

I have gotten used to cold food and cold coffee. I thought about buying a baby plate, the kind you pour boiling water underneath but never got around to it. Thankfully now in the UK its salad weather

Good morning , you can try buying a baby plate that keeps the food warm. I understand your frustration and I like your solution. My son needs gastric surgery but he says the VA has shut down the program since the pandemic, he lives in Virginia. Now I am wondering why he can’t start the program he is close to 400lbs. Sorry for getting off topic.

thanks for any suggestions about who he needs to contact in the VA.

When did he ask last? Maybe they've restarted since then. My VA has a patient advocate. He could try talking to them. If they can't do it, they should be able to send him to an affiliated hospital or give him permission to go elsewhere. I did all my appointments at the VA, and my surgeon goes to the VA for appointments twice a month, but I had the surgery at UAB Hospital. Just for more info for him, I didn't know the VA did it at all until I ran across an old YouTube Video from a VA in Virginia, and she said they didn't require dieting before the surgery, but my VA did. I don't know if that was the VA's policy, or if I had to conform to what UAB required to have my surgery there. I'd be interested in knowing what he finds out.

I'm a nurse at the VA. Here's the link to the patient advocates in Philly's area. https://www.va.gov/philadelphia-health-care/health-services/patient-advocates/