recursion in php and mysql

Hello all, I wrote an app in php and it uses recursion. Problem I have is that when I connect to a database using mysql_connect($dbhost, $username, $password); and select a table with mysql_select_db($database) I cannot access the table anymore from some function. Now I can connect and select a database in that php function but that means that process happens A LOT and connecting and selecting everytime probably slows down the app quite a bit Is there a way to connect to a database and select a table "globally" so that I have access to it in ever php function I write ? thanks, Ron