Right Breast Pockets???

My dad just received a pacemaker at the age of 80. He very much misses the use of his left breast pocket in all of his shirts, where he would carry his cell phone and at night a small mag flash light. Are there any manufacturers that make men's shirts with a right breast pocket?

4 Comments

pockets

by thomast - 2007-08-09 05:08:04

All he has to do is buy western style shirts, they all have two pockets, I also have the same problem, I like to carry my phone in my shirt pocket

New Pacemaeker

by SMITTY - 2007-08-09 05:08:40

I have had my pacemaker for seven years and I am now on my third cell phone since getting the PM. I have always carried my phone in my left shirt pocket and have never had a problem.

If the cell phone were to affect his pacemaker enough to be a problem, he would notice it and then phone should be moved. But any effect on the pacemaker would not be permanent and would cease as soon as the phone was moved.

As for the flashlight, I have one that I will not carry in my shirt pocked. It is one of the kinds that you shake for 30 seconds to get about three minutes light. Those kinds have a very strong magnet that could affect a pacemaker, but I know of no other flashlight that would.

I’m two years younger than your dad and at the beginning I guess I was kind of protective of my PM. But now I never give the thing a second thought and do anything I ever did before I got the PM. The things I do try to avoid are licks directly on the PM (only because I know that will hurt) and I will not use an electric welder, but I’m too old for that activity anyway, so that is no problem.

Just tell your dad that is a very durable (and expensive) little Timex he has tucked away just below his collar bone, so don’t worry about it as he is most unlikely to do anything that will harm that PM.

I wish your dad the best.

Smitty

Right side pacemaker

by longbreak - 2007-08-09 09:08:51

I had been wondering about the various problems with pockets. I feel I have lost the use of my left side pocket for various things, such as a PDA which I am not game to risk now. However as I live in Australia driving is not a problem with the seat belt due to right hand drive but when I'm a passenger I need to stuff a small towel between the seat belt and the pacemaker.
Due to the prevalence of shirts with left hand pockets I wondered if one could ask for the pacemaker to be implanted on the right side but of course this would then be a disadvantage when driving in Australia.

Thanks!

by dadsnewpacer - 2007-08-10 11:08:10

Thank you for your comments! My dad is not a western shirt kind of guy (more of a polo shirt) but we will look at our local western wear store for options. Thank you Smitty for sharing - it is good to hear that we do not need to be super-protective of his left chest area. My dad hasn't started to drive again yet but I can imagine it may be uncomfortable because we live in America and the seat belt will come down over his left shoulder.

This was my first post ever and it is awesome to know that I can get some answers and helpful information from others with PMs - take care all.

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