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Patient Story of: Nathan Zlotsky

Hoboken, NJ

Arm and Elbow Fractures

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Our family even has a saying now: "In Dr. Allen we trust!"

Nathan Zlotsky

In May 2026, our son Nathan fell off the monkey bars during school recess, fracturing and dislocating his elbow. The emergency room identified the fracture. But when we saw Dr. Abigail Allen at HSS the next day, she recognized an additional problem with the position of the bones that had been missed. We immediately felt we were in good hands.

What happened next meant just as much to Nathan. Dr. Allen asked him, "Tell me about your summer plans so we can make sure you don't miss out." He had been discouraged since his fall, but suddenly he had a big smile on his face. She understood what mattered to him and made getting back to it part of the plan.

Nathan had surgery the next day. Dr. Allen repaired his elbow using pins, which ultimately left no visible scar. Right afterward, she came out herself, still in her surgical gown, to explain how everything had gone and answer our many questions. I was so grateful that I gave her a big hug. A few hours later, we took Nathan home.

His recovery was remarkable. A few weeks later, he was riding a bike on a family trip, and he went on to play tennis all summer.

This fall, Nathan tripped and landed with his full weight on his wrist. The next day, we were back in Dr. Allen's office. She explained that the broken bone had shifted out of position. If it could be reset and stay in place, he could heal in a cast without surgery. At his second follow-up visit, the bone was still in place, and we are hopeful his cast will come off in mid-November.

Above all, we are grateful for Nathan's excellent outcomes. But Dr. Allen's care goes well beyond treatment. At every visit, she greets him with a huge smile and a high five. She involves him in his treatment plan, helps him understand what comes next and gives him confidence that he will get Back in the Game. For us as parents, that support means the world. Our family even has a saying now: "In Dr. Allen we trust!"