Our April WINNER was John Growney!
Welcome to our web site. This site is designed to assist you with information about our clinic that will help facilitate your treatment at our facility. Baudendistel Physical Therapy came into being in 1998 when I, Arthur Baudendistel, bought Robert Gehrig’s practice. I was very fortunate to inherit Robert’s employees, Cindra Voges and Gail Cook, who are invaluable to our team. Cindra is the office manager and has now worked here for 34 years. Gail is both a licensed physical therapist assistant and a massage therapist. She has worked here for 27 years. Lisa Letcher, whom was added to our team in 2001, is both a licensed physical therapist assistant and a certified athletic trainer. Together, we provide personalized hands on treatments that may include joint mobilizations, massage, exercise, and use of pain relieving modalities.
I’m asked many times, "why did you become a physical therapist?" My response is rooted in how I was brought up by two wonderful, caring parents and having an older brother with muscular dystrophy. My father, Lee Baudendistel, who died in 2005, was an amazing man. He was the main caregiver of my brother, David. David was the third of five children born to my parents and was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of nine. I was born four years after David and was his second main caregiver. My dad would take David and I to visit David’s friends at various nursing homes. Due to their physical disabilities, they were not fortunate enough to live at home with their families. My dad became their surrogate dad, visiting them often and treating them to such simple pleasures as pizza and soft drinks; these visits spanned over forty years. Because of these many visits, I became very comfortable around individuals who were missing extremities, could barely speak, were wheelchair bound, etc. I was accustomed to going into nursing homes and seeing teenagers living there with many older adults. I learned from an early age that I had much to be thankful for, such as, living at home, having a healthy and athletic body, and being able to easily get around; things we truly take for granted. I also learned that each of our friends living in the nursing homes, both young and old, were loving people who wanted nothing more than love and friendship, just like anyone else. All of the elderly people had a life at one time and a history that they enjoyed sharing and I enjoyed hearing. David eventually died in my arms at home when he was only 21 and I was 17. As I competed in track and field sports from junior high school to well beyond college, I always kept my brother in mind, dedicating my accomplishments to him.
After attending American River College, I transferred to Sacramento State University. When the athletic counselor at Sac State, Sterling Ables, informed me of their pre-physical therapy program, I knew that was for me! I’ve never looked back. I went on to earn a physical therapy degree at University of California at San Francisco. I feel that physical therapy is the greatest profession. It is just as rewarding today to help people with their physical needs as it was when I treated my first patient at what was then American River Hospital in 1982. My goal is to always treat people with compassion and dignity; I will strive to do my best to help them overcome their pain and disability. Thank you for considering Baudendistel Physical Therapy to care for your needs.
Arthur
