What do you do when life hands you a diagnosis — and you're the person everyone else depends on?Deb Krier was a “good patient” kind of person. Annual physical. Mammogram. Did everything right. And still didn't make it home from the hospital before the phone rang.What followed over the next decade was 34 surgeries under general anaesthesia, a stage zero diagnosis that leapt to stage four almost overnight, septic shock with a 75% fatality rate — and a surgeon who told her husband she would be dead by midnigh...
What do you do when life hands you a diagnosis — and you're the person everyone else depends on?
Deb Krier was a “good patient” kind of person. Annual physical. Mammogram. Did everything right. And still didn't make it home from the hospital before the phone rang.
What followed over the next decade was 34 surgeries under general anaesthesia, a stage zero diagnosis that leapt to stage four almost overnight, septic shock with a 75% fatality rate — and a surgeon who told her husband she would be dead by midnight.
Her response? Excuse me. I get to vote.
In this episode, Deb — cancer advocate, strategic advisor, creator of TryingNotToDie.live, and host of the Business Power Hour — shares what she's learned about leading through a health crisis without losing yourself, your business, or your people..
If you've ever pushed through difficulty alone because you feared what people would think — this one is for you.
You'll learn:
- Why hiding a health crisis from your clients almost always backfires
- How to maintain decision-making authority when your brain has short-circuited
- What solopreneurs need to put in place before a crisis hits
- Why asking for help is not weakness — it's what warriors do
Key Takeaways:
- Isolation is the enemy. The instinct to hide a health crisis from your clients and colleagues is understandable — but it's the thing most likely to make everything harder.
- Transparency converts people into supporters. When Deb told her clients the truth, they didn't pull away. They asked, what can we do to help?
- You are the decision-maker — even when the white coats disagree. Give yourself the time to grieve, gather yourself, and then choose the path that is right for you.
- Bring backup to the hard appointments. A level-headed person by your side can hold onto information your shocked brain can't process.
- Build your systems before you need them. Automated invoicing, a backup contact, someone who can handle the basics — these are not just illness preparations. They're what lets you take a vacation too.
- The strongest thing you can do is ask for help. Reaching out — to a friend, a counsellor, a faith community, a stranger on Facebook — is not weakness. It is what warriors do.
- Gratitude doesn't have to be grand. It can be as simple as: I woke up. The project didn't get done, and the world didn't stop.
About Deb Krier
Deb Krier is a cancer advocate and strategic advisor for executives and business owners navigating the personal and professional impact of a cancer diagnosis. She provides high-level guidance for leaders who want to maintain their executive presence and decision-making authority while managing the complex realities of cancer.
Deb is the creator of TryingNotToDie.live and the host of the Business Power Hour.
Gentle invitation for Quiet Leaders:
If you love learning at your own pace, I’ve created a mini-course that you can digest in a weekend. You can download it here:
https://www.quietwarrioracademy.com/leadershipforintroverts
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This episode was edited by Aura House Productions
