My Māmā is getting a mastectomy on Monday. She’s been going through all the emotions in the lead up to surgery. She told me she cried to herself in the shower and looked down, saying “Thank you for feeding my babies” and “I’m going to miss you”. She grieves for a part of herself she will lose.

I said she’s allowed to cry, and she’s allowed to be sad and angry. I said this is different for everyone that she can deal with this in anyway she likes. But she won’t deal with it alone.