This is a Strange Problem to Have

The latest passion.
Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast

So you may recall me mentioning a while ago that E. was starting a new medication, Intuniv.  The first day of the medication happened to coincide with the first day of the Magic card incentive program at the school.  Since that time, about a week and a half ago, E. has been...well, not a little angel, but certainly a lot easier to live with.  He's staying in class a majority of the time.  He's only walked out twice.  For him, that's quite the accomplishment.  Bear in mind that prior to this he was booking out of at least one class a day.  Usually more.

So what is causing the change?  Is it the new medication?  He's up to 2 mg per day now, with a goal dose of 3 mg per day.  Or were Magic cards really the magic bullet?  I simply have a hard time accepting that.  In all fairness, we haven't hit the two weeks that his stepdad and I were betting on.  Things could still go south.  I'm just really surprised by the change.

E. is incredibly excited about the Magic cards.  He sits and plays with them by himself, reading them over and over again and organizing them.  He had Gavin show him how to create a deck and he did so.  He joined a Magic club at school so he can play after school on Thursdays.  Unfortunately, every other Thursday E. has an appointment with Carrie and I can't reschedule it, so he can only go twice a month.  But he's really excited and enthusiastic about it.  Is this just the passion of the month?  Will he be on to something else soon and all of this good behavior be just a short blip?

Here's the other thing I'm worried about:  We have our meeting March 1 to discuss his evaluation and placement.  I'm concerned that the timing of this sudden streak of good behavior is going to screw us over, that he will be evaluated and found to be in better shape than before, that all of our work and planning is going to be for nothing.  He's probably being evaluated in class even as we speak, and the record is going to show him as a little angel, not as the chair-throwing, hitting, kicking, cursing dervish that he's been for the past year. I know he isn't "cured," but if he's having a good month and then the day after the meeting he completely loses it, we have to wait that much longer for the next re-evaluation.  I don't know what to do about this.  The worst thing that can happen is for the evaluator to come back with "he seems fine to me."