A sniff, a wag, and a head lift!

We got a call from our vet this afternoon. He had done a bunch of research today and read a lot about dogs and slug bait. He told us many articles mentioned dogs "sleeping" for 3-4 days and making it. That was good to hear, but the lethal dose is 1 tablespoon per 10 pounds of dog. 8 tablespoons is a half cup and that is what Patch weighs, 80 pounds. I am sure he ate twice that much. Our vet said the three criteria were gum color, temperature, and breathing. If those three were good, he said to please hold on!
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At 6:24 the ER vet called. She said she had an update and wanted to know if we had made a decision. Well, based on our vet's call, yes, we had. We were not giving up hope. Not yet!! She said Patch had TRIED to lift his head but was unable. That is big progress. Until now Patch had not tried to do anything, his eyes were vacant, totally non responsive. She also said she was not sure but thought he was hearing her saying his name.
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So, at 9:30 (3 hours after the ER vet called) we walked into the vet's office. We had to wait a while to go in because they were "bathing" the dogs, changed their towels and flipped them over so they would be all fresh for us to see.
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Well, we walked in and bent down to Patch, she said nothing had changed since the last phone called we received.
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Zach, Spencer and I all bent down at once. Zach put his hand in front of Patch's nose and the nose wiggled and sniffed like crazy!!!! Then.........get this, his tail flicked! He tried to wag his tail. I can't explain the feeling that rushed over me. Patch then lifted his entire head.
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I went over to visit with Molly while Zach stayed with Patch. When I bent down she blinked and shifted her eye to try to see me better, as she is unable to move her head. I can't tell you how terribly odd it is to see a dog with their eyes open and not getting a reaction. Her's was very very little, but it was there. The vacant feeling was gone, I could feel her and Patch both. They were in there!!! Molly also tried to move her eyes to find Jim when she heard his voice (she likes him the best).
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Molly's temperature has been consistent all day, between 99-101, which is perfect. The ER vet had said her breathing was getting raspy, but I laid my ear on her abdomen for a long while and I heard nothing. But I am not a vet.
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They told us it was time to go. We got maybe 7 minutes with them. When I got up to walk back over to Patch I saw him focus on me and track me walking. As I got closer he was not able to focus on me and his eyes stared through and past me. It was obvious he was unable to focus up close, but that is okay.
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I bent down and said good bye and we all stood up. Patch lifted his head, neck and shoulders in a motion as if he were wanting to get up. He can't, and he put his head back down.
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The vet tech told us a recovery was still unlikely. I figured it out, they just don't want to get any hopes up because if the worst thing happens, then well, it is even worse than never having hope. I just feel Patch will be coming home. I just feel it.
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I promised Molly hamburgers and hot dogs if she would just pull through and come home. We are far from being sure of anything,