How can I use PHP MySQL with NodeJS and SocketIO

I am in the process of making a chat app. I create accounts, login, select, view and do more already with PHP MySQL. And I am beginning to get into the Instant Messaging side of things.

I am using NodeJS and SocketIO for this and I have got the demo and such running but when attempting to integrate it into my current PHP stack it fails the mysql calls. I believe the problem is the networking but I could be wrong. Some direction or advice would be much appreciated.

User hits index.html > authenticate.js(ajax) > Sessions.php > Redirect to login or load page with data. However the echo data back:

echo "<script type='text/javascript'>
            $('#detailsnote').hide();
            $('#edituserimage').attr('src','$Image');
            $('#editusername').val('$Username');
            $('#editfirstname').val('$Firstname');
            $('#editlastname').val('$Lastname');
            $('#editnickname').val('$Nickname');
            $('#editposition').val('$Position');
            $('#editmobile').val('$Mobile');
            $('#editdob').val('$DOB');
            $('#editemail').val('$Email');
            $('#userid').val('$UserID');
          </script>";

Gets put in a div that handles that data, but instead, it is showing that echo as text.

I could be entirely wrong and can't mix PHP and NODEJS with MYSQL but I thought it would work. So again, any advice is welcome. Even if it is "Re-write the whole thing in NodeJS"

via AlphaDaemon