context in plpgsql functions

I've been using PostgreSQL 7.3.2.

What, if any, way is there to share a context (global rowtype variable)
between plpgsql functions ?

Can row types be passed as parameters ?  (I seem to have had trouble
doing that)

e.g.

A transaction that looks like:

BEGIN;
select FindContext(5432);
select SomeRandomFunction('111');
COMMIT;


The functions would look somthing like:

CREATE or replace FUNCTION FindContext(int4) RETURNS int4 AS
'
DECLARE
    w_key alias for $1;
    w_context context%ROWTYPE;
BEGIN

    SELECT INTO w_context * FROM contecxt WHERE key = w_key;

    -- I want to access w_context in a different method

    RETURN 1;

END;
'
LANGUAGE 'plpgsql';


CREATE or replace FUNCTION SomeRandomFunction(int4) RETURNS int4 AS
'
DECLARE
    w_stuff alias for $1;
    w_context context%ROWTYPE; -- ??????????????
BEGIN

    update sometable set key = w_context.key where yadda = w_stuff;

    RETURN 1;

END;
'
LANGUAGE 'plpgsql';