Things could be worse. I could have cancer.

That was always my go-to, my retort and my refrain when I got bad news. When I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me. When I found out I was broke and my checking account was overdrawn. Even when I found out I had lupus.

But on January 24, 2020, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had no mantra to make me feel better.