How much does the hyst. shorten the vagina

Ok, I am a little confused (well, maybe a lot),
I am having my surgery this coming Wed. the 8th, and I spoke with my Dr. at my pre-op appt. and one of my questions were about my being worried about sex being painful with the vagina possibly being shortened. I am having some extensive work, due to all of my prolapse.
But what bothered me was he said that the vagina only shortnes a centimeter or two at the most, and that my husband and that would just mean that my husband and I would just need to spend a little extra time at foreplay. Now this did not sound right to me.
Could someone clue me in as to what really happens, and why some women have pain.(oh, need i add, my gyn. is a man) probally not!
char

Hi Char ~
A while back at my 6 wk ck I asked the dr. about the vaginal cuff (the closure end of the vagina after the cervix has been removed). I heard questions here wondering if having the cuff makes the vagina shorter or not.

His answer was "No, it doesn't; As a matter of fact it might make it a tiny bit longer, but the difference is so small it isn't noticable." He said to picture a tall glass being the vagina. Now, set an apple on the opening of the glass. That's the uterus. The part of the apple that hangs into the glass is the cervix. He said when the cervix is removed there is actually more room in the glass. But then, suturing the edges of the glass to meet takes up some of that extra room that you had when the apple was removed.... so, it's just about the same.

(However, if you had a prolapsed uterus, where the 'apple' was farther down in the 'glass'.... then you might notice a difference by having a little more length than what you were used to.)

I thought this was a pretty good analogy. What'd ya think?

Glad to be rid of the bad apple!
sistabeth

Thanks for the replies.
And sistabeth, that did help a lot to look at it that way, now I am less confused, (now that don't happen often)lol
and as for the reply for the warming KY that sounds like a good idea, I keep pictureing the lady on Tv advertising it saying "that'll work".
Take care,
char

Warmer as you use it does sound quite nice!
char