The fears of measles and polio in the 1960s has given way to subtler concerns about the allergies, behavioral problems and learning disabilities of the 1990s. Brennan, who is now in the Sayreville office once a week, faces 28 appointments during an eight-hour schedule that starts at 11 a.m. He generally takes 15 to 20 phone calls daily, but he has been clocked at 80. It is an unsolvable problem. There is no good solution.
Allergies are the general theme of the first three calls.
Meanwhile, down the short hallway from his office, patients are beginning to stack up like planes at LaGuardia. Kevin is accompanied by both parents, David and Teri Bates. The couple grew up in Old Bridge, met in Sunday School and are former Brennan pediatric patients. Kevin, who has asthma that was exacerbated by the heat wave, is in for a follow-up visit. An Old Bridge resident, Murphy is also a former patient of Brennan's.