A patient is awake in playing guitar during brain surgery. Hear about it at urban legends and stranger truths. All surgeries are serious, but brain surgeries are particularly delicate. Among other things, the patient's ability to speak and move are at stake. That's why, in many cases, the person is kept awake so that doctors can best evaluate and protect their dexterity. For one man by the name of Christian Nolan, things went a step further