He looks great.  It was a wonderful gift.  God Bless.

The accident was March 16, 2011.

Tortuga 500 2010

A Mule’s constitution & great medical care is bringing Jensen closer to home.

Mike’s recovery progress from CaringBridge.org:
( 3-31-11 9:50 AM)
SUPER MULE IS GREAT, THE TUBE IS OUT AND OF COURSE HE STARTED TALKING IMMEDIATELY!

Due to the residual sedation medications in his system, he’s groggy and was speaking gibberish right away… a cross between swahili and dutch and he said, ” I’m in the hospital”, and when nurse Tracy cleaned his mouth out he said “Super Nice”….

What a difference. He’s much more comfortable and is visibly happier.

PER DOCTORS ORDERS AND FAMILY WISHES, ABSOLUTE IMMEDIATE FAMILY ONLY WILL BE VISITING MIKE UNTIL HE BEGINS INVITING GUESTS.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers, and well wishes.

With Love and Thanks,

The Jensen Family

Team,

Here is the latest update on Mike…

When I was at the hospital today Mike had just started talking in his pirate like words (and attitude)…he asked us to get him water and when she gave him a tiny dot Diane asked him if he feels better, he looked at her and said: “relief!” then he turned to me and said: I don’t like to be sick. Get me out of here ! J.

His girls painted his toe nails and it was so awesome to see how much progress he’s done. He’s incredible!!!

Diane and I went outside the room to chat and when Mike heard Diane say that she was going to step outside, he lifted his left arm as a salute to  say  Bye. Super cool!

He continues to amaze us on daily basis and though I haven’t been emailing you directly (but been reading all your love and care for Mike), today I feel so happy that I was actually able to talk to him and see him opening his eyes. When I told him I was in the room, he said: “hi,  how are you?”. Yup that’s the Mike we know: loud, engaging and stubborn!!!!

For those of you who don’t know me –I’m PRP’s Controller/CFO.

Nice to “meet” you all.

Abir Alameddine
Controller
PACIFIC RETAIL PARTNERS

Mike’s recovery progress from CaringBridge.org:
( 3-30-11)

Mike is climbing up the long hill out of sedation and towards recovery. His medical staff are keeping him comfortable yet alert enough to be responsive to simple commands, while balancing the sedation and pain management meds.
He will be in surgery for skin grafting today on his way to becoming an even better, youthful looking trophy husband for Diane !
Everyone is cheering for Mike’s speedy recovery, have a fantastic day !

Mule.Man>Love.

Good Morning ! Mike continues to amaze his medical staff and family with tremendous progress.
I just spent some time with Mike while he had his physical therapy. He’s still sedated yet responds to simple commands to open his eyes, move appendages etc. His pain management seems to be going well and looks better every day. He is breathing on his own, but still has the ventilator tube in his throat to assist with his breathing during up coming surgery procedures; ortho work on his ankle and skin grafting today and tomorrow. The latest update looking forward is as follows, although subject to change, according to Mike’s wonderful team of Docs and nurses: Remove the ventilator tube near the end of this week, so he’ll be much more comfortable . Continue reducing sedation medications while maintaining pain management. Continue daily physical therapy, get him sitting up and out of bed by next week. Mike will be out of the hospital in two to three weeks. Continued physical therapy and skin treatment on out patient basis thereafter. And get back to basics: Love, Family, Friends, Work, Bike, Run, Swim, Hike, Ski, Fish We hope you are all ready, because the way he was looking at me this morning, I’m certain that he’ll be back sooner than you think. Your friendship and caring love has helped Mike and each of his loved ones more than you’ll ever know.   We continue to be grateful for the unanimous outpouring of support and continued confidence that Mike’s business friends/clients have expressed by moving forward with Mike’s professional team at Pacific Retail Partners. Many Thanks, I know Mike looks forward to seeing you as soon as he can.

Jensen's Brown Trout (Patagonia)

Doug Jenen (Mike’s brother) posts Mike’s recovery progress on CaringBridge.org: ( 3-24-11)
Buenos Dias,
I’m beginning to feel rather repetitive, yet grateful that I can report healing progress and good news.

Mike had a good night and is looking better everyday as swelling decreases. It’s amazing how he is healing. No fever, he’s very stable, he tolerated his procedures yesterday/last night quite well and the Doc suggested that he will be brought out of heavy sedation over the next few days.

Mike’s Family continues to do well and thanks everyone for their support.

I’m looking forward to day in the Mule.Man’s recovery when the doctors tell us we can visit.  We’ll have to make our visits a regular routine until they kick him out.

Somewhere on the Tortuga 500 Trail 2011

Martin’s gonna break the rules and visit the Mule Man this evening (Monday March 21) so he can tell’em:

All the Freddies are getting ahead so you better get it together.

Below Status Report Posted on CaringBridge by Doug Carpenter:

Mike is resting comfortably..his doctor met with the family this evening and has downgraded his condition to serious but stable.. C’mon..like Diane said “Mike is anything but stable”… Dougie [sneaked] me in to see him and besides the fact he looks like the Michelin Man on steroids he looks remarkably well..he is still on the ventilator but is now breathing partly on his own..he had another battery of tests today CT etc all of which looked good…he still has the pump in his abdomen and it has been working very well to reduce his swelling from all the fluids…and they finally gave him a bath..actually he had hydro therapy on his burns which is critical to reduce the risk of infection and start the healing process…our Mule has a long way to go yet..but he is moving forward with the gusto were all too familiar with…keep your thoughts and prayers coming..
Diane, the girls, Dougie, the Jensen’s, and the PRP team send their thanks and love..

BTW: It wasn’t any easier today . . .  it’s the reality impacting;  it’s like a sine-wave.

The Bix would understand sine-wave shit.
He’d say: You’re weak! (momentarily).

2011 San Jose - Long Beach: Mike in a pensive moment (thinking about Ragged Point)

Doug Jensen (Mike’s brother)  has set up a page on Caringbridge.org/visit/mjensen for Mike’s friends and family to stay updated on Mike’s progress.

Mike’s Status Summary: (Saturday March 19, 9:00pm)

•Burn Status: approx. 23%  2nd & 3rd degree, rather than 35-40% .
•swelling has diminished significantly
•sedated, yet he’s responding to nurses requests to move his fingers and toes.
•nearly jumped out of bed this morning, so they’re adjusting his meds
•UCI Staff [burn center]: thank all for respecting the no visitor, no call policy – for now.

Doug’s Post on CaringBridge:

Dearest Freddies and Friends… Mike loves and considers you all family.

As we all would expect of Mike, he continues to make tremendous progress in his healing process!

The Doctors have assessed and revised his burn status to approximately 23% second and third degree burns, rather than 35-40% .His Docs, Nurses and Techs are serious Allstars, determined to get him back to his incredible lifestyle of Family, friends, giving and loving.

His swelling has diminished significantly…

His organs are fine and functioning well, his lungs suffered little damage.. amazing

Mike will be in recovery/healing mode for a month or so at the UCI burn unit. This is an estimate. Could be more… most likely less knowing Mike…

He’s sedated, yet he’s responding to nurses requests to move his fingers and toes.

But apparently not sedated enough… he nearly jumped out of bed this morning when Kurt, Hawk and Doug were visiting him, so the nurses adjusted his meds so he wouldn’t get up and go for a bike ride, and we told him that Diane and his girls are amazing women and doing fine, to relax and be still, let him know where he was, that he’s healing well with the loving care from his fantastic medical staff, that his Freddies love and miss his quiet voice, and that his friends / clients and business will be more than taken care of by his supporting partners/professionals while he gets better…

There may be ups and downs along the way but Mike is our hero and he’s definitely up to the challenge

Mike, or as his Freddies would say, “Dorky the Mule”, will be back in a month or so tougher than ever.  So my advice to you is… are your ready? Each of you better be loving your spouse like there is no tomorrow, love each of your children and give them the tools to be kind and giving, take care of yourselves in health, faith and friendship, being the best you can be, riding and training because he’s gonna be back and on us soon, encouraging each of us by example to be your best.

Stay tuned for more updates !

The Jensen family is so grateful for your love, prayers and support.

Our Family and Staff at UCI Thank you all for respecting the no visitor, no call policy while they perform their magic on Mike as their care is exceptional. These are lifelong relationships that are being developed ….

Hwy-Patrol protecting them from themselves. Hwy17: The Tortuga 500 2011

March 18 12:00pm

Martin Howard has talked with Mike’s brother Doug and his wife Diane:

I just got off the phone with Diane…Mike was transferred yesterday evening to the UCI Burn Unit in Orange…and as Dougie Jensen put it “were not in Kansas anymore”..Diane says they have the most amazing surgeon looking after him who happens to live in Belmont Shore(I’ll try and get her name)..she says the burn unit is amazing..Mike has 3 to 5 specialists looking after him..they are running him back through every test he did at LB Memorial…Mike is currently in surgery..he had an EKG done this morning and he needs a procedure done on his heart..this is not unusual for someone who has had this kind of trauma and three surgeries..the surgeon has also gone back and removed the staples from his abdomen and inserted a wound care device to absorb all the fluids he was pumped full of..they want to reduce his swelling so they can start treating his burns..he does not have a feeding tube or trach..his doctor doesn’t feel Mike needs them…they have already started treating the burns and are using cadaver grafts..and of course the doctor said it looks as though she will have plenty of Mikes own skin to graft with after looking at his Jensen Power Rear-End!…the doctors have decided to cut back his trauma medication and bring him around from the induced coma he has been in..they feel he has made enough progress to start bringing him around so that he moves and provides circulation to all his wounds..the best news of all is that last night they scoped his lungs and it looks as though they are clear and not damaged..The “Mule” is fighting hard and he has a long way to go but for now his prognosis is positive..Diane says to please keep your thoughts and prayers coming …she is doing fine and is very strong..she has an incredible support group around her who are providing for her and the girls..shes thanks you all…UCI is very strict and apparently Mike has been assigned nurse “Ratchet” so for now no visitors other than immediate family..this is all I have for now on Mike..please feel free to pass this info to all those who know and care for Mike and Diane.

Correction: Heart surgery was not required.  There was a misunderstanding; surgery was not intended.

Regarding the surgeon mentioned above- an email from Brock Nyquist

Martin and Freddies,

Her name is Marianne Cinat, she is a great surgeon and runs a tight ship. I have done at least a hundred burn cases with her. The burn unit is exceptional. Nurse ratchet will be very strict, each and every visitor brings in with them the potential for more infection. If you are fortunate enough to see mike make sure you abide by their policies of asepsis. I have already spoken with my anesthesia colleagues at UCI to make certain Mike is cared for by the best.

Brock

According to Rick Rucker, a friend and Pulmonary MD:

12:30pm

They decided to take Mike to the OR today to re-examine the abdomen.  Obviously they thought he was stable enough to go [to the burn center] today.  He went to the OR earlier to recheck his bowel and everything seemed to be OK – bowel looked healthy with no more bleeding.  They closed up the abdomen and have no plans for further surgery there.  They also cleaned up his burns and reported deep partial thickness burns at 25% and superficial burns at 15%.  Everything else seems to be doing well.  He is just the guy who may beat the odds.

6:30pm

Mike left for for UCI burn center around 5:30 [pm].  Doing well otherwise.  Much better than last nite!

Mike has received about 30 units of blood.

According to Ryan Autrey:

According to Ryan, who had the opportunity to talk with the FireFighter who pulled Mike from the plane, Mark was sitting in the co-pilot seat (why is that not a surprise) and Jensen was in the rear of the plane on the right.  Mike was bent over with his head between his knees breathing about 4 breaths per minute.  Also, it was reported that he was talking (why is that not a surprise either).

An email from Frank Schroeder:

Freddies,

Rarely do you get to witness first hand an out pouring of love and support. I was fortunate enough to see that today and I wanted to thank you guys for the opportunity.

My wife Linda and I decided to take off of work early and head down to Memorial to give blood as recommended by Martin. When we arrived, the waiting room was standing room only! Freddies and family as far as the eye could see. A sign in list that was almost exclusively for Mike. Wow factor was high.

As we finally made it to the back to give, I asked the phlebotomist if they were always this busy. She said “No, never. Maybe after 9/11, but even that tapered off quick”. I was stunned, but not surprised.

You should all be very proud. Your a great group of people and Mike is very blessed to have you.

Frankie

We’ll continue to pray for Mike’s recovery.

Please donate blood if you can:
Blood Donor Center
2801 Altantic Ave, Long Beach
(562)933-0808

Donor Center Hours:
M.W.F: 8:30am-4pm
T.Thr: 10am-5:30pm