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Blasts are immature white cells. For a normal person there are fewer than 5% blasts in their bone marrow. MDS patients may have bone marrow blast percentages higher than 5%, and may also have blasts in their circulating ("peripheral") blood. I assume that the 3 you see in the CBC results means 3% blasts in peripheral blood.
The percentage of blasts in peripheral blood and the percentage of blasts in the bone marrow are two of the factors used to classify MDS into subtypes. You said your father had 11% bone marrow blasts, matching the World Health Organization (WHO) RAEB-2 classification, while his 3% peripheral blood blast percentage fits the RAEB-1 classification. Which classification they consider your father to fall into may also depend on whether his blood or bone marrow contains granular material called "Auer rods".
His classification helps the doctors match his status to categories used for medical research and patient statistics, but every patient is unique and must be treated that way. What's important is that he is having appropriate treatment and that his health is continually monitored and side effects minimized to the extent possible. You're doing the right thing by learning more about this disease and what can be done to help your father.
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