Church Street barista battling Bell’s Palsy

It all started on a Monday morning in early November. Out of the blue, Church Street Coffee & Books barista Sri Koduri had trouble speaking, and customers couldn’t understand him. Soon, he was losing his voice and hand-eye coordination on his left side.

“It quickly hits you, and your eyes stop blinking,” he said.

At first he thought he had a stroke, but a different diagnosis came: Bell’s Palsy. Bell's Palsy is a form of temporary facial paralysis resulting from damage or trauma to the facial nerves, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. It typically affects one side of the body, but the other side must work harder to compensate for its loss. At present Koduri can’t feel or taste on his left side, and being in cold makes it worse.

The baristas at Church Street say they focus on conversation as, after enough experience, they can make coffee on an autopilot mode. But the work is too physical for Koduri in his current state, so he is unable to return to his job.

In the service industry you can lose health benefits quickly if you are not working, Koduri noted, but working in a coffee shop surrounds you with a community of people who know you. Since his diagnosis, customers have given him grocery cards, oils to sooth his pain and soup to eat.

“People from every corner have been willing to help,” he said.

It was in response to customers asking how they could help that Church Street co-owner Carrie Rollwagen decided to start an online donation page for Koduri.

“Sri is always the one giving and never asking for help,” Rollwagen said. “It’s a strange turn of events.”

Bell’s Palsy affects everyone differently. The length of time symptoms persist varies, and some people are left with no permanent damage while others aren’t as lucky. Doctors don’t know what causes it, and there is no medication to cure it. Those who face it must simply wait for it to go away and seek therapy treatments.

The worse part for Koduri is how it affects his ability to communicate — his favorite part of his job. He worked for years in management at Starbuck’s, including a stint at the former Crestline location with current Church Street co-owner Cal Morris, before choosing to work as a barista at Church Street when it opened. Speaking too much can worsen his pain in his face, as can using his left hand too much.

“The pain in my face is not like a bruise, it’s piercing,” he said. “You never know when it will hit you.”

Koduri has tried acupuncture treatments, but its effects lasted less than 24 hours.

Rollwagen said she has been impressed by how open Koduri has been about his experience. When they first opened Church Street, he didn’t even want to be photographed for their website, but his approach to his journey with Bell’s Palsy has been different.

During an interview on Dec. 10, Koduri said he was seeing some improvement. More people can now understand his speech, eliminating the need for a middleman to act as a translator. The condition is still preventing him from working, and he is waiting for swelling in his face to go down before starting facial therapy.

To learn more about Koduri’s journey or to donate, visit gofundme.com/sendlove4Sri. You can also make a donation by texting “coffee” to 205-587-6526, drop off cards or donations at Church Street Coffee, or contact Koduri on social media (@srikoduri on Twitter, @sreek22 on Instagram or Sri Koduri on Facebook).