 Gygax went into semi-retirement after suffering strokes on April 1 and May 4, 2004, and almost suffered a heart attack after receiving incorrect medication to prevent further strokes. He had been a lifelong cigarette smoker but switched to cigars after his strokes. In late 2005, he was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm. Despite his reduced workload, Gygax continued to be active in the gaming community and regularly contributed to discussion forums on gaming websites such as Dragonsfoot and EN World.
