Passing values between stages

Hello,

We've been using mod_layout for a couple years now, and one of the things we've 
really needed is the ability to pass values from the header script to the body 
and other header and footer scripts. We're using PHP, and have not been able to 
get anything to work except reparsing or requerying the database each time the 
values are needed (sometimes 3 times per page!) From a web developer's 
standpoint, it would be more efficient and much easier to do this processing 
once and pass a value to the other parts of the page. We have also tried using 
sessions to keep variables between the stages, but that hasn't work either.

I've noticed a few posts along this same line, but no definitive answers on the 
issue. Is this something that is doable, or should we give up on mod_layout?

Thanks,
Andy